Australia Australia - Kellie Carmichael, 24, Blue Mountains, 26 April 2001

[marlywings]

COLD CASE: Please let us not forget about Kellie

April 13th, 2013

WHEN Kellie Ann Carmichael vanished from a hostel in the Blue Mountains in April 2001 she left behind few clues.

The bubbly, 24-year-old Geelong woman told staff at her Katoomba hostel she would be back that day to collect her belongings: her ID, wallet, mobile phone, bank card, Medicare card, camera and toiletries.

She was due to fly home to Geelong later that day but was never seen again

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2013/04/13/362848_news.html

 

[marlywings]

From an earlier report...

Fears Geelong woman may be victim of serial killer

November 2nd, 2009

MISSING Geelong woman Kellie Ann Carmichael may be the victim of a serial killer.

A New South Wales coroner wants police to re-open her cold case and check to see if a string of other similar disappearances are connected.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/11/02/117401_news.html

 

[Paulie11]

Does anyone know what those other cases are in the following reference:
"a string of other similar disappearances are connected"?

 

[SouthAussie]

Feb 9, 2011 - The NSW Government today offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for the disappearance and death of Kellie Ann Carmichael.

In 2004, State Crime Command Homicide detectives took over the investigation.

Mr Daley said police believe people in the community may have information about Kellie’s disappearance and this substantial reward may encourage those people to come forward.

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/can_yo...appearance_and_death_of_kellie_ann_carmichael

They definitely believe Kellie was murdered.

I'd like to know who the others are that may have been taken by a serial killer too.

 

[H A L 9 0 0 0]

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/can_yo...appearance_and_death_of_kellie_ann_carmichael

They definitely believe Kellie was murdered.

I'd like to know who the others are that may have been taken by a serial killer too.

I first became aware of Kellie Carmichael's disppearance on a website called the 'Australian Missing Persons Register'. It has state by state listings of numerous missing persons and there may be other cases on there with similarities.

 

[FigTree]

The NSW Government today offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for the disappearance and death of Kellie Ann Carmichael.

The 24 year old Geelong woman was last seen by staff at a hostel in Katoomba on the 29th April 2001.

Im having trouble finding the other cases associated with this one too.
Looking on the Missing Persons page..
http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/

ETA:
Doesn't seem they released the names of the actual associated cases - they were looking at a lot of cases in NSW (females)

Coroner's cold case plea - let's find our missing women

The case prompted Mr Milovanovich to make the unusual recommendation that the Police Minister Tony Kelly and Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione consider setting up a "special task force" to "look at a number of unsolved homicides and missing persons (suspected deaths) of young women in NSW".

In his recommendations he did not specify any names of missing or dead victims, nor the number of cases he wanted investigated or whether there were links.

 

[FigTree]

Ariel Livesey was found deceased in Katoomba.
But she is showing up in Missing Persons on the Police database - she hasn't been taken off there yet...

Coroners Inquest cache page
Ariel inquest at the Coroners was on the 29th July 2013

29th July 2013
Inquest into the death of Ariel LIVESEY
State Coroners Court Glebe, Court 2
Before Her Honour Magistrate Freund, Deputy State Coroner

I don't know what the findings were.

Blue Mountains Gazette - Read More...

Police have confirmed the human remains found in bushland on Easter Monday belong to Katoomba woman Ariel Livesey.

Blue Mountains crime manager Detective Inspector Mick Bostock told the Gazette a post-mortem carried out last Thursday confirmed the identity of the remains discovered at Katoomba but a cause of death was yet to be determined.

He did say the death didn't seem suspicious.

 

[FigTree]

Found some other cases:
Some others that have disappeared/foul play/unidentified in Leura / Katoomba area:

(2008) - William Bell - originally from S.A. - Missing - his belongings were found at a Leura campsite in the Blue Mountains. As far as I can find - he has not been found.
(2003) - Ariel Livesy - Katoomba - The Blue Mountains - found deceased.
(2001) - Kelly-Anne Carmichael - Katoomba - presumed murdered.
(1998) - Belinda Peisley (28 y.o)- Katoomba. Missing suspected foul play - presumed dead. Sons Plea - $100,000 Reward - Read More...
There was also an Unidentified person - Male, who was found at Echo Point - Skeletal remains only and clothing. No suspicious circumstances were recorded but he still remains unidentified.

.

 

[SouthAussie]

Found some other cases:
Some others that have disappeared/foul play/unidentified in Leura / Katoomba area:

(2008) - William Bell - originally from S.A. - Missing - his belongings were found at a Leura campsite in the Blue Mountains. As far as I can find - he has not been found.
(2003) - Ariel Livesy - Katoomba - The Blue Mountains - found deceased.
(2001) - Kelly-Anne Carmichael - Katoomba - presumed murdered.
(1998) - Belinda Peisley (28 y.o)- Katoomba. Missing suspected foul play - presumed dead. Sons Plea - $100,000 Reward - Read More...
There was also an Unidentified person - Male, who was found at Echo Point - Skeletal remains only and clothing. No suspicious circumstances were recorded but he still remains unidentified.

.

To add a couple more missing persons (from the missing persons register - except Gary):

(2009) Gunther Palatin (70) - Known to frequent the Blue Mountains, Gunther was last seen in the Lidcombe area on 2 September 2009.

(2010) Jennifer Keegan (54), was last seen at 10.30am on Tuesday 5 January 2010 at her home in Derby Street, Kingswood. Her vehicle, was located on Thursday 15 January 2010 at Govetts Leap Lookout. The search will resume at Blue Mountains National Park, near Govetts Leap.

(2013) Gary Tweddle (23) last seen running from the Fairmont Resort, Leura, at midnight on 16th July 2013, then talking on the phone on Watkins Road, Leura, soon after.

 

[Kyja]

I wonder if the other cases the coroner wants investigated could be Jessica Small and Janine Vaughan.
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/JessicaSmall.htm
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/Vaughan.htm
Bathurst is only about an hour or so from the Blue Mountains and all three disappeared within the space of 4 years.

 

[SouthAussie]

I wonder if the other cases the coroner wants investigated could be Jessica Small and Janine Vaughan.
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/JessicaSmall.htm
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/Vaughan.htm
Bathurst is only about an hour or so from the Blue Mountains and all three disappeared within the space of 4 years.

Very interesting that a discharged police officer is a POI in Janine Vaughan's disappearance. AND he was in charge of the investigation into her disappearance until other police took over. Leaves lots of room for him to have interfered with the investigation!

 

[December]

'Bubbly' girl, early 20s, traveling alone, staying in a hostel, on her last day in the hostel and she disappears without a trace... this sounds familiar...

the '' on bubby is just to say people definitely used that word to describe her in the articles. a few people called her bubbly

 

[FigTree]

I wonder if the other cases the coroner wants investigated could be Jessica Small and Janine Vaughan.
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/JessicaSmall.htm
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/Vaughan.htm
Bathurst is only about an hour or so from the Blue Mountains and all three disappeared within the space of 4 years.

I have just put up a thread for Jessica Beth Small on Websleuths - there will be another inquest in 2014 for her.

And to update that Gary Tweddle was found deceased on the 2nd of September 2013

 

[December]

The only problem with someone traveling alone is there often aren't too many reports of who, if anyone, they met along the way.

Kellie was pretty and, from what everyone says, had a great personality. I think surely she went to the pub to say goodbye to some people she'd hung out with before.. either at the pub or just out sightseeing. These people maybe aren't locals. Perhaps she met someone who was a stranger in town, but who was staying elsewhere. I think it can't be a local person because if it was, that'd stick in people's minds.

He might have told her to meet him at the pub, but intercepted her before she got there. Maybe he had a car and used either a ploy or force to get her inside.

That's just speculation, but I feel there must be a certain type of person who preys on female travelers. They wait until the girl is supposed to leave knowing that will delay the investigation as everyone tries to determine where she was last seen... the place she was visiting, home, or somewhere in between.

 

[FigTree]

i wondered where Kelly was staying at the time she disappeared?

Their bright, well-educated child was last seen 10 days before, checking out of a Blue Mountains lodge. She told staff she would return later that day to pick up her bags.

There is a place called Katoomba Mountain Lodge - and I am thinking this is where she may have stayed. Reviews on the hostel are varied. If anyone knows of more information that's available could you please post the link.

I wondered if the Hostel guests were questioned at the time of her disappearance?

I don't think it helped that the Police put it down to 'suicide' so quickly - if she was murdered the suicide theory is a 'get out of jail' free card for the perpetrator.

No articles have ever mentioned that her 'friends' who were going to help her, ever came forward.
Where are you Kellie Ann Carmichael?

 

[December]

Fig Tree, the first article says Kellie stayed at Katoomba Mountain Backpackers Lodge, a 45 person hostel. Its says the owner is Ron Chong. I don't know if this is the same place you looked up.

I'm curious about this pub. The hostel owner feels there are bad people at the pub (according to the article).

 

[December]

I'm seriously starting to believe no one should ever reveal their departure date.

 

[FigTree]

Fig Tree, the first article says Kellie stayed at Katoomba Mountain Backpackers Lodge, a 45 person hostel. Its says the owner is Ron Chong. I don't know if this is the same place you looked up.

I'm curious about this pub. The hostel owner feels there are bad people at the pub (according to the article).

Yes, it seems to be the same place - and that particular backpackers is still there.
There are 2 pubs in the area which could be the pub she visited.
Both pubs have changed hands since Kellie went missing, and both pubs had a reputation, though these days they have been refurbished and the atmosphere has changed somewhat. There are other drinking venues though, but these 2 seem the most likely as they are very close to the Lodge and to the train station.

.

 

[December]

Thanks, Fig Tree.

Someone told her to meet him at the pub, I'll bet. The only way I'd step into a questionable place would be with a guy. As long as it is semi OK people will leave a woman alone (more or less) if she has some they think could be her boyfriend.

 

[SouthAussie]

i wondered where Kelly was staying at the time she disappeared?



There is a place called Katoomba Mountain Lodge - and I am thinking this is where she may have stayed. Reviews on the hostel are varied. If anyone knows of more information that's available could you please post the link.

I wondered if the Hostel guests were questioned at the time of her disappearance?

I don't think it helped that the Police put it down to 'suicide' so quickly - if she was murdered the suicide theory is a 'get out of jail' free card for the perpetrator.

No articles have ever mentioned that her 'friends' who were going to help her, ever came forward.
Where are you Kellie Ann Carmichael?

BBM

And why would Kellie go and commit suicide without leaving a note for her family, or without sending them a letter for them to receive later?

I don't buy that people just wander off and commit suicide and purposefully leave all the people they loved endlessly in limbo. I think they want to be found (after the fact) or they leave a message telling their family they love them and are sorry. So they would be in a place where they could fairly easily be found.