Murder of Denise McGregor
Denise McGregor (1966–78) was an Australian schoolgirl from Pascoe Vale, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. She was kidnapped, raped and murdered on 20 March 1978.[2] McGregor's assailant was never identified, and the case remains one of Melbourne's most infamous cold cases.[3][4]
Denise McGregor | |
|---|---|
| Born | Denise Gail McGregor[1] 1966 |
| Died | 20 March 1978 (aged 12) |
| Body discovered | 21 March 1978, near Mariang Road, Wallan, Australia[1] |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Known for | Murder victim |
Abduction and aftermath
Denise was abducted as she was returning home from running errands to a local milk bar at the corner of Westgate and Anderson streets, Pascoe Vale, around 7.30pm.
The brutality of the murder was such that a pathologist described her injuries as being like those suffered by plane crash victims. A police re-enactment that screened at the time was reported to the broadcasting authorities as being excessively graphic, but the police chief said that it was toned down from what had happened to McGregor.
Robert Arthur Selby Lowe, convicted of the murder of Sheree Beasley, was a suspect in the murders of Denise McGregor and Kylie Maybury, but DNA evidence did not show any connection.[5]
References
- "...MURDER, REWARD, Notice is hereby given that a reward of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) will be paid by the Government of Victoria for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Denise Gail McGregor whose body was found near Mariang Road, Wallan, on 21st March, 1978....Chief Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 21st June 1978" (PDF). Victoria Government Gazette. 1881 (55): 5. 23 June 1978.
- Murdoch, Lindsay (23 March 1978). "Girl turned back to death". The Age.
- Unsolved Melbourne murders you may never have heard about, By Emily Webb, Leader, 29 October 2015
- Victoria Police cold case unit identifies 30 homicide cases they believe are 'highly solvable', By Keith Moor, HeraldSun, 19 March 2013
- Keith, M, 2 February 2001, 'DNA check clears Lowe; Murders remain unsolved', Herald Sun (Melbourne), Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre, EBSCOhost, viewed 23 March 2016.