The mother of a 15-year-old Queensland girl who was killed more than 30 years ago is hoping that new DNA evidence will shed light on her daughter’s case in a coronal inquiry.
Key points:
- 15-year-old Annette Mason was killed in 1989 in her Toowoomba bedroom.
- The investigation was delayed to wait for foreign experts.
- A potential suspect is set to testify this week.
Coroner Terry Ryan set up the investigation into Annette Mason’s death in 1989 in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, three years ago to allow for more forensic tests.
The hearing reopened on Monday after delaying adviser helped coroner Adrian Braithwaite said it was due to the coronavirus pandemic and to allow DNA testing with New Zealand experts.
Annette’s mother Judith Andersen said outside court that the family had “been through the Mincer several times” waiting for information about their daughter’s killer.
The 70-year-old said she hopes the new DNA information will lead to a breakthrough in the case.
“I have no idea about the results of any of this, but I hope it will shed a lot of light on what happened,” she said.
“Annette was a beautiful, normally 15-year-old girl who did not deserve what had happened to her.”
Members of Annette’s family arrived in court wearing yellow – their favorite color.
Potential suspects to provide evidence
Annette was found in her Toowoomba bedroom after a night out with friends in November 1989.
Nine witnesses are expected to give evidence at the newly opened inquiry this week, which will be conducted under amendments to legislation that will give coroners more power to force witnesses to provide potentially self-accusing evidence in an investigation.
One of the witnesses set up this week to testify is the notorious prison murderer and armed robber Allan McQueen, who killed a prisoner with gymnastic weights in the 1990s.
McQueen was identified as a potential suspect in Annette’s death.
Both police and civilian witnesses claimed in the investigation that they had previously heard McQueen confess to Annette’s murder – once at a party while playing cards and drinking with friends, and once again while locked up in the Toowoomba surveillance house.
In 2018, McQueen exercised his right under the old Coronial Act not to answer any questions.
Former prisoners denied hearing confession
As evidence during the investigation, Robert Speedy denied that he heard McQueen hear Annette’s murder while they were both prisoners at the Sir David Longland Correctional Center in 1992.
Mr Braithwaite suggested to Speedy, who gave evidence over the phone from the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Center, that McQueen had told him that he had put the “hard word” on Annette and hit her in the head with a piece of wood. she hit him back.
Speedy replied, “No way in the world. Why would anyone tell me that?”
The 55-year-old also told the investigation: “There is no way he is [McQueen] would do something like that. “
Speedy told the investigation that he and McQueen grew up together in Toowoomba.
The hearing continues.
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