Australia Australia - Maria Smith, 20, Randwick, NSW, 22 April 1974

For more than 40 years, police investigating the brutal murders of two women in Sydney's eastern suburbs believed it was likely the work of one killer.

Now the investigation into the killings of Lynette White and Maria Smith have been split up, after a detailed review revealed there was actually no definitive link between the crimes...

Maria Smith, 20, was found raped, gagged and bound inside her Randwick apartment on April 22, 1974.

The student teacher was strangled with her own stockings and left for her husband to find later that day.

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The killer who came knocking: ‘Maria was horribly murdered’

WHEN student teacher Maria Smith heard a knock on the door of her Sydney apartment, she had no idea that a sexual predator and vicious killer stood on the other side.

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Superintendent Scott Cook, told reporters on Tuesday.

A $1 million reward is on offer for information leading to a conviction over the murder of Maria Smith who was raped and strangled in 1974.Source:News Corp Australia

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Murdered student teacher Maria Smith with her father Stan McGuinn, former managing director of Perisher Valley ski resort.Source:News Corp Australia


“She was bound, gagged and sexually assaulted before being strangled.

“She had only been married eight weeks and, at the age of 20, had her whole life ahead of her.”

It’s only the second time in the state’s history a $1 million reward has been put on the table, matching the same sum that remains on offer in the case of missing toddler William Tyrrell.

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Solon said:

Why do you think it was someone in the building ?

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gggumdrops said:

I’m writing with what I suggest is an entirely solvable solution to some very old murders. Not because I think it’s “a solution” that is solvable, but because I’m convinced it is what actually happened. It also helps explain how they’ve gone so long unsolved.
I’d like to start with the premise that whomever murdered Lynette White,27(Coogee,8-6-73), also murdered Maria Smith,20(Randwick,22-4-74).
Other than the way in which they were killed, I think these murders are too similar and close to one another, to not have been committed by the same person.
That’s pretty much my whole theory in a nutshell.
I’m suggesting there are two more murders, that are for all intensive purposes Identical to those of Lynette and Maria.
The first of which occurred approximately 1 year after Maria was killed, and bares a striking resemblance to the Lynette White murder.

Officially the East London murders of Eve Stratford,22(Leyton,18-3-75) and Lynda Farrow,29(Woodford,19-1-79) are not connected. However in 2016 former detective Colin Sutton told the Sun Newspaper “A women killed in her own home by having her throat slit? That’s rare enough today. For this to have happened twice, with identical wounds, within a few miles of each other was just too much of a coincidence. The fact of the matter is that 3 young women were murdered by one man, who remains unidentified 40 years on.”

If you compare all four murders there are differences i.e. Maria Smith was strangled, and Lynda Farrow was not raped. It is however what they have in common that surely outweigh any discrepancies.
For instance,
All were very attractive women in they’re 20’s, and all appear to have been petite?
None lived alone yet were all attacked during the daytime in they’re own homes whilst alone.
In none of these cases were there signs of forced entry.(with both Sydney cases it appears a similar ruse was employed to gain entry. I’d like to suggest there’s enough evidence to suspect the same method of entry for the London murders.)
In none of these cases were there any screams heard.(at least not in any of the articles I’ve read. I think this might be an underrated or overlooked point. It Seems to me to be quite an accomplishment? Maybe not, perhaps it’s common?)
All but Lynda Farrow were raped.(she was 4 months pregnant which may explain why?)
Not sure about Maria Smith, but the rest were all found on the floor with at least both London victims being found face down.(they may all have been found face down on the floor? It’s just the articles I’ve read go only so far.)
At least two were reported to have been bound with they’re own clothing, Maria in Sydney and Eve in London.(I understand those are not pattern forming numbers, but there may have been more?)
Lynette was reported to have been found half naked, Eve wearing nothing but a dressing gown? No report for Maria and Lynda was fully clothed.(again this may be because she was pregnant and therefore not raped?)
All but Maria Smith had they’re throats cut, slashed or stabbed. The reports give differing descriptions. Lynda Farrow’s throat was badly cut (almost decapitated), Eve Stratford had her throat slashed deeply 8-12 times and Lynette White suffered at least 11 stab wounds, to the upper body and had her throat slashed.(I think the neck wound was the cause of death, I’m not certain though. I’m sure I read somewhere speculation by police that Lynette may have broken free at one point, suffering at least some of her stab wounds whilst being recaptured? I’m guessing she had wounds to her back?)
On at least 2 occasions, with both Lynette in Sydney and Lynda in London the murder weapon/knife was left at the crime scene. Seems more unusual than usual?
Last but not least, three of these women worked (or did so until shortly before being killed.) at similar establishments.
Lynette White (model?) and danced as a “hula girl” at night clubs.
Eve Stratford (nude model) was a “bunny girl” at the playboy club.
Lynda Farrow worked as a croupier at a sports club.

I think what stands out is the “when where and how” they were murdered.(these are not random attacks, the victims are too similar. They were targeted, perhaps at work, then stalked and then attacked.) Method of entry(I suggest the same method for at least three and possibly all of these murders) and cause of death, I am presuming it was the neck wounds. I may be mistaken?(why not Maria? Perhaps things did go wrong with Lynette and he cut himself or something, so he decided to try something different? On the other hand, there is the question of whether or not he brings the murder weapon-knife with him or uses knives he finds at the scene of the crime. If it’s the later, perhaps the Smith residence didn’t posses a suitable knife?)

There is also the murder of Lynne Weedon,16(Hounslow,3-9-75), connected to the murder of Eve Stratford via DNA. Whilst all the other crimes appear to have been premeditated, Lynne Weedon’s murder appears to have been a crime of opportunity, and therefore does not resemble the others. For this reason I didn’t include it, at the same time and for the same reason I don’t think it detracts from the hypothesis that one individual was responsible for all five murders.

There is another thing consistent with a connection between these crimes. The problem is it’s based on a single statement made by only one person and therefore may not be entirely accurate? In the “Australian Story” about the Lynette White and Maria Smith murders, Bob Wurth suggests the “chinstrap” beard attributed to a potential suspect in the murder of Lynette White, was “very, very strange”. So the question is, was it really that unusual in Sydney at that time? From what I can tell the opposite is true for London during this period. Within 3 minutes of searching, and only 55 seconds of the first YouTube I watched of people walking around London in 1967, I found a young man sporting a chinstrap beard. A couple of videos later I found 2 more walking around 1974 London. Without much effort at all I found three, and for that reason suspect this beard was not uncommon in London at the time.

(There is a witness statement of a 26 year old male “hitchhiker” distancing himself from the scene of Lynne Weedon’s murder. A closer look at this statement might be interesting? His age is consistent with the Lynette White identikit. Maybe he had a red beard?)

Just to make it clear what I’m suggesting. I think a British man has come to Australia on some sort of visa. Committed at least 2 murders and then traveled back to London and killed at least 3 more women. Why not an Australian that’s moved to London? The chinstrap beard. Also there’s those polio legs and long socks, perhaps they’re just British legs? If they are polio legs than mightn’t their be medical records? Maybe it was polio treatment that brought him to Australia?
These are not the reasons that cause me to suspect a connection between the murders. It’s the timeline combined with the overall similarities of these crimes. The way in which it appears they were perpetrated. It’s the possibility that the same ruse evident for the Australian murders, was also used for the UK murders. Seriously, there is a witness for the Eve Stratford case, who’s statement is entirely consistent with the ruse employed in both Sydney murders. Had these crimes not been committed in different countries, there would be little doubt. It’s only then, when your already convinced of a possible connection, that you realise this “very very strange” Australian identikit, was not so strange in the UK.

I’m quite certain that in no way have I convinced you of anything. I’m just hoping you’ll have a look for yourself, and perhaps also see the possibility of a connection.
Here are some links to the Australian Story concerning Lynette and Maria
YouTube · ABC News In-depth27:54Cold case murder of Sydney woman Lynette White | Australian StoryJun 5, 2017
An excellent 2 part amateur production concerning the 3 UK murders.
YouTube · Curious World17:04The Bunny Girl, the Schoolgirl and the Croupier (Part One)Jan 17, 2019
YouTube · Curious World14:17The Bunny Girl, the Schoolgirl and the Croupier (Part Two)Jan 18, 2019
and the 2 YouTube videos with the chinstrap beards.
YouTube · guy jones7:431967 - London Street Scenes (added sound w/ color remaster)Dec 15, 2017
YouTube · British Pathé26:01Dancing At The Palais (1973)Apr 14, 2014
There are many articles concerning these crimes, but I do think the videos are more informative. Containing actual footage, images and a better overall picture of these crimes. At the very least, they’re an entertaining watch.
My apologies if I’ve made any factual errors.
Thanks for taking the time to hear me out, and have good day.

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