Thirty years after she was last seen at Kananook Railway Station, police are again appealing for information in relation to the disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid.
Sarah, then 23, was last seen walking through the car park of the station about 10.20pm on Wednesday 11 July, 1990.
Sarah was then reported missing by her parents the following morning when she did not return home.
Forensic testing of the area where Sarah’s red Honda Civic was parked has led detectives to believe Sarah was attacked as she approached her vehicle.
Sadly, her body has never been located.
Despite an exhaustive investigation over the past 30 years by both the Homicide Squad and Missing Persons Squad, the circumstances surrounding exactly what happened to Sarah remain a mystery.
In February 2004 police announced a $1M reward for information regarding Sarah’s disappearance and this reward remains on offer.
Officer in charge of the Missing Persons Squad, Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said police had not given up hope of being able to provide Sarah’s family with answers.
“To go 30 years without having any answers about what happened to your daughter or sister is almost unimaginable,” he said.
“Sarah’s parents Peter and Sheila, and her brother Alasdair have had to show the kind of resilience no family should ever be asked to demonstrate.
“We often talk about an ambiguous grief with missing persons cases – because there are no answers, it’s hard to extinguish that last bit of hope and families are left hanging off every phone call, every knock on the door in case it’s the one that will give them those answers.
“There are so many milestones for Sarah’s life that her family never got to see; for example they never got to see her get married or start a family.
“Peter and Shelia are getting older and to be able to give them some answers and any kind of peace, is something police are desperate to do.”
Det Insp Stamper also said investigators had not given up hope that someone out there had information that could solve this case.
“There will absolutely still be people who know what happened to Sarah and who is responsible,” he said.
“There are very few murders where those involved have never spoken to anyone about it – someone will know about Sarah’s disappearance and we are again appealing to those people to come forward and speak to police.
“It may not be those who have been directly involved in the incident, it could be people on the periphery or who are family, friends or associates of those involved.
“I am directly appealing to those people to make contact with investigators.
“It’s been 30 years but it is absolutely not too late to do the right thing.”
Anyone with information about Sarah’s disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
