THE search area has been narrowed and the NSW State Coroner is overseeing the next move by Strike Force Rosann in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of William Tyrrell.
More than 15,000 pieces of information and lines of inquiry over the last three and a half years has brought the police contingent, led by Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin, back to where it all began – Benaroon Drive in Kendall where the three-and-a-half year old disappeared without a trace on September 12, 2014.
Today, the street was noticeably absent of residents as media and police lined the roadside outside the home perched high on a corner block from where the little boy disappeared. The scrum stretched up the hill and to the fringe of thick bushland where the Strike Force has set up a command post – facing directly into a void of vegetation that may just hold some answers.
This time around they are not looking for a lost child, Det Ch Insp Jubelin said. The new search will be concentrated to just three square kilometres and will have a forensic focus.
The Strike Force, he said, want absolute certainty they have the investigation covered should it result in an arrest or go to an inquest.
“The search, which we anticipate will take about three to four weeks, will focus on a forensic search. We will be co-ordinating and documenting the areas we search and the purpose of this evidence, whether it’s presented to a court – coroner or criminal – is to prove that beyond reasonable doubt, William’s disappearance was the result of human intervention and not misadventure,” Det Ch Insp Jubelin said from Benaroon Drive on June 13.
Fifty officers from the Public Order and Riot Squad have already entered bushland surrounding the property from where William vanished. The property at the time was owned by his grandmother and he was visiting with his foster family on the day of his suspected abduction.
They will scour the same area covered by police and emergency services in the 10 days after the child went missing, tracing every step and collecting evidence.
“(The search) will be of a lesser scale than last time but it will be more intense – roughly over three square kilometres,” Det Insp Jubelin said.
“Fifty officers are involved in the search from the Public Order and Riot Squad and the State Planning Unit – they are the experts in this field. We are outlining what we require and they are providing the services.
“What I'm hoping from this search is we will have definitive evidence that we can present to a court if necessary.”
What we have done is build up a database of evidence that we readily refer to. The search we are doing and the defined areas we are looking at is for a reason.
- Det Ch Insp Gary Jubelin
Det Insp Jubelin said time will be no barrier to finding evidence despite the fact the region has experienced the extremes of weather conditions over the last three years.
There is strategy behind the latest development in the investigation, he said, and refused to conclude the search for William had exhausted all possibility of an outcome.
"We have not given up on this investigation. We are committed to finding out what happened to William. We are mindful it has been three and half years since William disappeared and we still have not solved this matter,” he said.
The Tyrrell case will go to an inquest if it can’t be solved from a criminal perspective. But Det Insp Jubelin said there are still strong lines of inquiry and people of interest that have the focus of the Strike Force.
He said among those many lines of inquiry were early allegations of an active paedophile ring operating out of the mid north coast.
“Until this matter is solved we will keep all lines of inquiry open. We need conclusive evidence before I can say one thing or another. That line of inquiry was a legitimate line of inquiry that we’ve explore and that didn’t provide any information that led to the charging of any person or the recovery of William.
“It’s appropriate for us at this particular point in time to conduct this search,” he said.
“What we have done is build up a database of evidence that we readily refer to. The search we are doing and the defined areas we are looking at is for a reason.
“Everything we do is planned. There is strategy behind every time we talk to the media and every inquiry we do. It's not done in an ad hoc fashion.
I suggest you come to us before we come to you.
- Det Ch Insp Gary Jubelin
“We've got a deliberate plan and it was coordinated at this time because it suited the investigation.”
William was taken into foster care at 11 months old.
Police have previously ruled out his foster and biological families as having played a role in his disappearance.
“We strongly believe there are people out there who have information on this and I make a point to those people – if you do have information concerning what happened to William you are at risk of committing a criminal offence by concealing an offence if you do not come forward,” Det Insp Jubelin said.
“I suggest you come to us before we come to you.”
Strike Force Rosann continues to brief the family on the investigation and the latest leads and thanked the Kendall community for its ongoing support.
Port News
Tracey Fairhurst
The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au
The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au
