A Crime Stoppers caller from December 2016 may hold vital information in relation to the unsolved murder of mother-of-four Emily May Wanganeen.
The 41-year-old, who lived a transient lifestyle with no fixed place of address and carrying her personal belongings with her in a green supermarket bag, was a familiar figure to people living in the Salisbury and Elizabeth areas.
A heavy drinker, and reportedly an illicit drug user, she stayed with friends and family in Adelaide’s north, with the last confirmed sighting of her – walking on Tolmer Rd at Elizabeth Park on 27 February 2010 – believed to have occurred only a short time before she was killed.
Ms Wanganeen was reported missing on 17 March by family members and on 13 June her body was found in a steep gully near a quarry on Black Top Rd, Gould Creek by youths out walking a dog.
Her wandering lifestyle and lack of structure has created challenges for police investigating her murder.
Detective Brevet Sergeant Alicia Arkit, from the SA Police Major Crime Investigation Branch, said Ms Wanganeen’s lifestyle had contributed to the delay in her being reported missing, and had led to little information being provided to police about her death.
“Of particular significance in these circumstances is a caller to Crime Stopper call in December 2016 who gave information about a vehicle that may have been used to transport Emily from where she was killed to where she was dumped,” she said.
“We would like that caller to call back and speak with us again.
“We believe that within her circle of associates, or former associates, there are people talking about her death – and we urge them to come forward and talk to us.”
Investigators, who are reviewing the case as part of Operation Persist, have not revealed how Ms Wanganeen died, but said the surrounding circumstances indicate that she was murdered.
Her body was found in a steep, isolated area that was difficult to get to – there no suggestion she would have gone to that area for any reason.
She was found naked, with her clothing nearby along with her bag containing her personal effects.
Statements have been taken from a number of people, including her on-again, off-again long-term boyfriend, but no firm suspect has been identified in the case.
Detective Brevet Sergeant Arkit said it had also been suggested that Ms Wanganeen owed money for drugs, and that was one line of inquiry that had never been discounted.
“Relationships change over eight years, so we would implore anyone who was within the loose network of people that knew Emily to come forward and speak to us,” she said.
A $200,000 reward is available for anyone who provides information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person responsible for Ms Wanganeen’s death.
“Police never consider unsolved cases such as this ‘closed’,” Detective Brevet Sergeant Arkit said.
“We know that a simple piece of information can lead to results in an investigation such as this, and we believe there are people in the community who hold valuable information about what happened to Emily.”
Operation Persist is a long-running police campaign focused on reviewing and progressing unsolved murder inquiries using a range of tactics, including case reviews, media campaigns, reward offers, public appeals for information, re-examination of forensic evidence and targeting information from people within prisons.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at https://crimestopperssa.com.au/ – you can remain anonymous.
