Cold case podcast to examine historic Mandurah murder

The murder of a young Mandurah woman over 40 years ago will be examined in a cold case podcast this week.

Annette Deverell went out with a group of friends on Saturday, September 13, 1980.

She was dropped off at the Boathouse Tavern on Pinjarra Road, about 8pm and went to a number of venues before arriving at the Brighton Hotel, on Mandurah Terrace. 

She left the Brighton Hotel by herself about 11pm, and was seen talking to an unidentified blonde man about 11.20pm near the Mandurah Post Office.

Her remains were found next to a large log in burnt out forest near Scarp Road in Pinjarra nearly two years later.

Now, four decades on, and detectives no closer to finding her killer, Annette's case is being examined in this week's Cold Case Western Australia podcast, which is hosted by veteran crime reporter and former WA Police Force media advisor Neil Poh. 

Friends, family and detectives close to the case told Poh that Mandurah was a vastly different place in 1980 to the bustling city that it has become today. 

“I think most of these people know...when you read their statements back in the early 80s, Mandurah was pretty loose, they were all having a good time, it was a party town,” Cold Case Investigation Squad Detective Sergeant Peter Sloan told podcast host Neil Poh. 

“Now they’re all married, children, probably grandchildren, so obviously your morals change. We’ve still got a family out there that still wants answers. 

“A couple of these persons of interest were persons of interest back then but all the friends vouched for them providing what they believed were airtight alibis. Further information has come forward recently...those alibis have fallen down, allegiances have changed. And whether there was a threat there previously, that is no longer there, so people are not hesitant in coming forward.” 

Annette’s brother Michael “Digger” Deverell urged anyone with information to come forward and bring his family answers. 

“We’d like to know who done it, just for peace of mind, and so my Mum can go to her grave knowing who done it,” Mr Deverell said. 

“Someone knows, definitely knows who did it, and them themselves know who did it - just give yourself up basically.” 

Poh also spoke to Annette’s friend Wendy Wintle, who believes only a person with local knowledge would have known about the Pinjarra site where Annette's remains were found.

“Everybody thought that it had to be a local person, because if you weren’t local, you wouldn’t know that area, and we, all of the Mandurah young ones...we’d go up there most weekends, swimming and camping, or they’d ride motorbikes,” Ms Wintle said. 

“The guys used to go shooting up there. And, yeah, everyone thought it has to be a local person, has to be a local person.” 

Det-Sgt Sloan said it was highly likely Annette knew her killer, and the unidentified blonde man was a key focus in the investigation. 

"Identifying that person remains a focus of the ongoing investigation into Annette’s murder,” Det. Sgt Sloan said. 

Det-Sgt Sloan also tells the podcast the squad is re-examining the alibis of the 51 persons of interest identified by the original investigators. 

There’s a $1 million reward for information that leads to the conviction of the person or persons who were responsible for Annette's death. 

The Cold Case Investigation Squad will today (Wednesday, December 4) staff a mobile police facility at the Sholl Street carpark, behind the Mandurah Post Office.

Members of the public with information regarding Annette’s murder are encouraged to come forward.