Listeners are advised that this podcast series Bromwin contains coarse language and adult themes. This podcast series is brought to you by me Headley Thomas and The Australian. The town of Lismore in northern New South Wales is about a forty minute drive west from Sandstone Crescent, Lennox Head. The area's natural beauty disguises hidden dangers. Twenty nine big floods have swept through Lismore since eighteen seventy. The town is built on a floodplain. The residents just keep.
Rebuilding, where thousands of people stranded homes inundated.
The epicenter there is.
Lismore, where dangerous rescues have been carried out all day as the city sees its worst flooding in its history.
In twenty twenty two, the river peaked again after heavy rain. Thousands of homes and businesses were inundated. Residents rode down the main street, rescuing strangers and delivering supplies to neighbors trapped by floodwaters. The Lismore Courthouse is one building the floods have not been able to erase. This impressive structure was built in eighteen eighty three and it has held on to the history of tragic cases that have passed
through its doors. Cases like Bromwyn Winfields, which was explored in detail at a two thousand and two inquest into her disappearance. Other cases too, have left an indelible impression on the local population. In July nineteen eighty six, seven years before bromwin went missing, Alan James Stuckey, a local Lismore pharmacist, was put on trial for the alleged murder
of his wife, Carolyn Stuckey. Alan had shot Carolyn three times in their bedroom in January the previous year, after she had admitted to having continued an affair with another local man, Alan Ennu, eight months before Carolyn was shot by her husband, Alan Stuckey. Alan Ennew's heartbroken wife, Madeleine, took her own life, leaving behind her young children. Carolyn Stuckey was a much loved school teacher who was actively involved in productions at the local Amateur theater. That's how
she came to know Allan Ennu. She graced the pages of the Northern Star newspaper from time to time, including when you won the Miss Lismore beauty pageant in nineteen seventy two.
We never really know what's going on in people's private vibes behind those curtains. The ripplepond effect of situations like this is astonishing.
Matthew Condon and I have looked closely at Carolyn's case. We went to Lismore together in February twenty twenty one, four years ago, and we recorded some audio there. Some of the similarities with Bromwin are all too obvious. Coincidentally, Bromwin was meeting John in nineteen eighty five when Carolyn was slain.
It was the two mothers that perished. The women were the ones that died, and the men, of course survived and moved on. This story is.
As old as time.
It is about.
Dreams, it is about jealousy.
It is about male presumption and possession of women.
That's Shakespearean.
These little deadly dramas are unfolding in every community across this country today. It's about control, it's about power, it's about possession. The warning signs.
Were there everywhere.
Here she is here, a loving memory of Carolyn joy Stucky. Presumably her ash is buck here.
Why don't we go and visit the family home? This is the house where Carolyn died.
The classic slice of Australian seventies suburbia, isn't it. It's on the ridge or the lip of the old Caldero Lismore sits in the middle of the top of that ancient volcano, so it's quite elevated, and.
We think that Carolyn died sometime between nine and ten pm. He told the police that he asked Carolyn directly whether she was still seeing Alan in you, and she denied that she had, and he told her that he knew that was a lie.
Carolyn and Allen then you were together hours before Carolyn was fatally shot by her husband, and she was lying on the bed still and she then admitted that she had and she said, I can't give him up.
He then told the police that he raced to the study where he kept a rifle, a twenty two caliber and Shutz rifle Bold action. He had kept since he was nineteen years old. He used to use it to go and shoot rabbits. Hadn't used it for some time, but oddly it was loaded. I couldn't give him up.
The moment that impelled him, a former country boy and local pharmacist, to go into the study find this loaded weapon and terminate his wife's life.
Not too long after, alan Enny's own wife had killed herself in grief over the relationship that she discovered her husband was having with Carolyn.
Human affairs are so complicated. Alan ennew who had made her so many promises about a vibrant and brilliant relationship in future, going forward together, and that night had ended.
In that first interview in the Lismore police station between one am and three point thirty seven am, it's just a few hours after he has killed his wife in cold blood. He then describes having come back from the study into the bedroom holding the rifle. Carolyn sees him, and she screams, and he says that there's a struggle, and she tries to grab the gun and the shots are then fired. Carolyn was hit three times, once in
the abdomen, twice in the head close range. He doesn't own his responsibility there, he doesn't say in that interview. And I pointed the gun at Carolyn and shot her in the abdomen, and then used the bolt action to put another bullet in the chamber, which I then fired into her brain. And then I did that again.
The youngest Catherine in a bassinet in the actual parents' bedroom when this event occurred.
You get the sense from the way he describes it that there's a struggle. Maybe she somehow pointed the gun in a way that she shot herself. There's no ownership by him of his actions.
That's absolutely right.
In the language that he uses, it's almost like he's there, but he's not there. Did you aim and fire at your wife? There is no affirmation of that from him at all. It's like this nebulous thing that sort of just happened. It moves, it slips around at those most lethal and crucial moments.
Was he having trouble facing that reality himself then, or was he already starting to plan some kind of criminal defense.
Is it possible that a man of such a meticulous mind might already be thinking into the future in terms of how he would justify what occurred? And he says and sort of shots went off, that's not possible. With the bold action. There's necessary time to reload, and it's a manu left it, isn't it. You have to hold the rifle and pull back the bolt.
And then push it forward again to load the boat. He was asked whether he checked afterwards to see if there were signs of life in his wife. Did she have a pulse, But he said no, he didn't do that. He was quite sure she was dead. Alan Stuckey called his sister and she came to the house and she collected the three young children and took them away.
He had a shower.
He proceeded to change and apply his deodorant. After the shower and the third call, having wrung his sister and then his friend and said it's all over. I've killed Carolyn, was to the police. Now you just shudder at what confronted them. A husband who had just called them to an otherwise normal family home owned by a professional pharmacist in town, with a beautiful young wife, three lovely young children.
And she was still laying at the foot of the matrimonial bed in their bedroom with two wounds to the head and one to the abdomen. Her body was still warm in that main bedroom.
He's trembling and about to be led away for questioning for what was presumed then to be very obvious murder.
He said in his evidence before the court that with his wife dead at the foot of the bed, he needed to take a shower to settle his mind so he could make a decision about what he would do next. It's revealing a man who lives by an incredibly routine stricture and has his patterns of behavior almost unbreakable. Despite this enormous tragic event that had been unleashed in the house that we're looking at.
Caroline's unlawful killing at the hands of her husband should have been an open and shut case. Alan Stuckey's defense lawyer saw a pathway. He argued that Alan's wife's affair had provoked him into shooting her. Matthew Conden wrote a brilliant story about the case for The Weekend Australian magazine in twenty nineteen. He's a small but integral part of it.
On July eleventh, nineteen eighty six, after a seven day trial, Alan James Stuckey was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, the jury having decided that he caused Caroline's death under provocation. Justice Slattery said Stuckey's quote control of himself unquote ultimately snapped when told his wife could not give up her lover. The judge said, in the circumstances, some response on his part would not have been unreasonable, but he added that to shoot the deceased three times.
Was greater than the circumstances warranted. It is rare to see a prisoner of such good character before a court on this type of crime. In a short period of time, the prisoner, by his acts under provocation, brought great tragedy to his wife, himself, and his children, a tragedy which will be with him forever.
In the end, the defense strategy was successful. A jury effectively found that it was coar Olyn's fault that her husband, the accused, had snapped and killed her. Caroline's killer would
face the lesser sentence for manslaughter. Justice slattery words and the juries not guilty verdict for murder are confronting to hear in twenty twenty five, when it is better understood that blaming the victim in cases of domestic violence wrongly removes responsibility from the perpetrator for his or her actions. Alan Stuckey was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, but he walked free on parole after three years. He returned to his job as a pharmacist in Lismore and to raising
his three young children. One of those children, Catherine, shared her recollections with Matt of a troubled childhood in the same house where her dad had killed her mum.
He used to say that she was socopathic and that I also had those traits because I wanted attention or something as an adult.
I'm so outraged that he thought that.
That would be a good idea to raise his children in a place where.
He killed their mother. To me, that is such a cruel thing to do, and.
I don't understand it at all, and it makes me incredibly sad. Before finalizing his own lengthy police statement, Glenn Taylor decided to try to find more witnesses, more evidence by drawing on the local media. John was against publicity from the start.
He certainly was absolutely against having any media there. He didn't want in media, and we had to give him an undertaking that we would not contact the media under such time as we'd had exhausted our inquiries. Eventually we got to the stage we got a coroner's direction that said this has to go to the media. We need more people to come forward.
While John remained staunchly opposed, Glenn Taylor went around him to Broman's brother, Andy Reid. Andy agreed to the strategy, and he wrote to Glenn I.
Andrew Philip Reid, being the next of kin and brother of brom and Joy Winfield, give my full permission to the police Department and the coroner to use all available means at their disposal, including all forms of media such as newspaper, radio and television, to assist in investigation of
the disappearance of my sister. I am deeply concerned about what has happened to my sister, as is the rest of my family, and we want everything humanly possible done to locate her and to find out what has happened to her.
Stories began to appear in the Northern Star. The headline on one front page must have been confronting for Broman's friends and for John missing woman case reopened. Here's how that story by local reporter Jenny Rodgers began.
Police need help in solving the baffling disappearance six years ago of a Lennox head woman, Bronwin Winfield. Now I would be thirty seven years old. She is one hundred and seventy six centimeters or five foot eight inches tall, of slim build, with light brown hair, a fair complexion and hazel eyes.
I know I had a meeting interview prior to the inquest asking if anyone had him for the information.
The recording is still in Glen's files, although the audio is a bit scratchy.
Hopelly missing pertain K floor finally be solved after nine years exactical entertainment said miss at Winfield or drafting on the ninety at the sixteen of late nineteen ninety three after Sandstone Clason time.
And then it's fair but if anyone has full in promotional all but I haven't some thought of now to contact the ball On employees will treat the information making confidence.
Many years ago when I first became a detective in nineteen eighty five and the talk was please don't talk to the media, I think it has turned around a lot more so in recent years. Without the help of the media, a lot of cases would never be solved.
Retired Sydney detective Damian Lehne attributes the role of the media with multiple breakthroughs during his investigations into the murder of Lynn Dawson now known as Lynn Simms. Damien did a remarkable job over some fifteen years is on that case since leaving the New South Wales Police He has lived in Ballina and he catches up with Glenn Taylor at the local bowls club. Damien is still giving back to the community. He has become a popular deputy mayor
of the coastal town. In the late nineteen nineties and for another decade, Damien relied on journalists and their storytelling to attract witnesses who would give him statements and tip hops in a Northern Beaches police station about Lynn's disappearance. Damien had suspected fowl play from an early stage.
There were very many police out there who were reluctant to speak to the media or corporate with them. The reason why, but such a responsible to the community. It's the fact I used the media. Without then no one would have known what was going on. No one would have known suddenly disappearing on the front page of the Many Dad in an Orthor Beaches and Bert he started rolling anders went on and on and on. Have you
taken it in the teachers podcast? Well, we're back here again, as you say, under the similar circumstances have been awesome.
On Monday May twenty seven, two thousand and two, friends and family of Bromwin Joy Winfield gathered at the Lismore Courthouse in search of answers about a woman who had not been seen or heard from for nine years. Janelle Estridge, then a young journalist completing her cadetship at the local newspaper, spoke to Detective Glenn Taylor and Bromin's brother Andy in the lead up to the inquest. Here's Janelle reading aloud her story in the Northern Star.
Acting Inspector Taylor said it was hoped the five day hearing may bring some finality to what has been an exhaustive investigation.
Janelle also spoke to Andy, and he's quoted in the newspaper story. It's been a long.
Road for the family, but hopefully now we'll get to the bottom of the whole theme. We no longer believe that Bromwan is with us, but we do need some answers. This has taken a toll on everyone, but we just hope that the system works to resolve the matter in one way or another.
Like the children of Carolyn and Alan Stuckey, Bromwan's children, Crystal and Lauren, were unaware of crucial details about their devoted mother's disappearance as the inquest approached, and as witnesses would tell the inquest. Some of this was due to their father, John, who strongly discouraged any talk or press about Bromwin. Voice actors and in some cases those who
were present. Are going to recreate crucial evidence and exchanges in this and following episodes as we work through the two thousand and two inquest in the Lismore Courthouse, evidence like that of John's daughter Jody, who was called to the witness stand twice yes on day two and day four.
Ma'am. I understand that at the time you were seventeen and that these things may not have rang alarm bells in your head. But looking back on it now, don't you think that it's strange the course of events that followed Bromlin's disappearance. At the time, I didn't question it because, yes, of my age.
If it happened now and the age I am, yes, I would have had so many questions like everybody else does.
But at that time I didn't because it I just didn't.
And Romwin's cousin Megan Reid, giving evidence about seeing John in Sydney in the days after Bromwin disappeared.
I've honestly never seen anything like it before he was shaking. He was practically frossing at the mouse.
I was terrified and Crystal, who would give evidence? On the fourth day of the five day in quest, she was questioned gently by police Sergeant Matt Fordham. Here's a snippet of what Christie said, and just a reminder, Mark Davis is Crystal's biological father.
Mark Davis said that you told him Bronwin had been diagnosed schizophrenic but didn't believe the doctors and didn't take her medication. Was that something that Bronwyn told you or did you hear it from some other source.
No, that was what Jodie told me.
We'll go into much more detail with Crystal's evidence and that of many others as the inquest reconstruction unfolds. We will be dedicating a lot of time to the inquest. By going through each day's transcript carefully, we are faithfully reproducing what we regard as the most relevant and interesting parts of the evidence. It will be unpacked in this and upcoming episodes chronologically, starting with the first day. You'll hear more from Crystal when we get to the fourth
day of evidence. Let's now go to the beginning. D State Coroner for New South Wales, Karl Milavanovitch exuded authority. He had the undivided attention of his Lismore court room. From his reading of the statements before the inquest started, Karl was already very familiar with the brief of evidence. It would be presented over the ensuing days by lawyer and police officer Sergeant Matt Fordham. Matt is a barrister
practicing in Sydney. These days, he takes an avid interest in the podcast investigations of cases in which he has been directly involved. One year after Bromwin's inquest, Matt Fordham would work with Karl again during the two thousand and three inquest into the presumed death of Lyn Dawson, now known as Lynn Simms. It's important to stress, as always for the record that John Winfield has always denied any involvement in Bromwin's disappearance. John Winfield was not on trial
at the two thousand and two ines nobody was. An inquest is a fact finding mission. Affected parties are entitled to legal representation. John Winfield was legally supported by a determined barrister, Craig Leggett. Three years after Bromwin's inquest. He was appointed Senior Council, a prestigious position in the ranks of the New South Wales Bar and a testament to
his skill as a lawyer. You are going to hear Craig's cross examination of witnesses throughout the inquest, much of it based on instructions from his client John.
Sir, can you please tell us your full name, rank and station.
My full name is Glenn William Taylor. I'm a detective sergeant, a police attached to ballin a police station.
And sir, is it the case you prepared a one hundred and twenty page statement summarizing the investigation into the suspected death of bronwin Winfield. Is that correct?
Yes?
It is.
On day one, Matt Fordham asked Glenn Taylor to read aloud his summary of his investigation into Bromman's suspected murder. The focus narrowed to just one man in court, John Winfield. It was the first time that the case, with all of its witnesses and alleged backs and circumstances, had been summarized in a public setting.
Michelle Reid, missus Reed, states she became close friends with Bromwin. When Bromlin and Jonathan lived in Sydney. Missus Reed states that during the early part of nineteen ninety three, she had further telephone conversations with Bromin Winfield. Missus Reed recalled that during one of these conversations, Bromlan said to her words to the effect that if anything happened to her, Bromlin,
which you look after the children. Missus Reed was off the book that Bromwin feared for her safety and inferred that Jonathan Winfield was capable of hurting her.
Bromwin's uncle, John Reid, he.
Recalls that during this time he was informed by Bromwin that Jonathan Winfield had been assaulting her and she showed mister Reed a bruce on her arm.
Bromwin's auntie Leah Reid.
Missus Leah Reid, the auntie of Bromwin Winfield, states that she would usually talk to Bromwin by telephone about once a week. Roman Winfield said something to the effect that she and others would be sorry and something would happen to change all of their lives.
John's brother Peter Winfield, he recalls that.
His brother Jonathan was worried that if he didn't go back to the Lennox Head home, that he would be locked out and it wouldn't be his home anymore. He recalled that Jonathan left his home to travel to Bwana.
John's brother's wife, Louise Winfield.
Missus Winfield, recalled that Jonathan has said something to the effect that he and Broman had a fight and that Bromwin had walked out Tracy Brown. Romwan disclosed to her that Jonathan Winfield had told her that there was no way that she was going to get the house. Roman also mentioned custody issues to Missus Brown concerning the children.
Donald Apps attended Roman and Jonathan Winfield's wedding. In fact, mister Apps and his wife were the only persons that attended, states that he recalls on one occasion when Bromwin disclosed that Jonathan Winfield could become violent.
Bromwin's sister, Kim Marshall, was asked about her contact with John when she spent ten days at the Winfield family home shortly after Broman's disappearance.
Jonathan Winfield would become quite distant and would often cry whilst talking about her. Jonathan Winfield told Missus Marshall that he believed that Bromwin was having an affair with someone else. During this conversation, Jonathan Winfield told her that they didn't have a fight. On the night of the disappearance, Doreen Strong missus Strong, confirmed that she had spoken to Bromwin on second of April nineteen ninety three. Bromwin stated that
she had left her husband ten days earlier. Broman stated that there had been emotional violence and threats relating to the custody of the children. Bromwin also stated that she had been to see a solicitor but needed some support. Missus Strong states that her conversation with Bromwin, there was no indication that Bromwin had any intention of leaving the children, and in fact intended to maintain sole custody of the children.
John's first wife, Jenny Mason.
Missus Mason, states that when she was about sixteen years of age, she met John Winfield in Sydney and formed a relationship with him. Missus Mason states that she had only been going out about three months with him when she felt pregnant. Missus Mason stated that she married John Winfield and they lived together at Sutherland. Mister Wingfield never allowed Missus Mason to argue back with him or question what he would say. If she attempted to, mister Winfield
would get aggressive and angry. He would yell at Missus Mason and she became scared of him. He said to her, I'll kill you if you say it again. At that time, he had his hands around her throat and was squeezing. Missus Mason believed that something happened to Bromwin on the night before John turned up to her home with the children.
There were claims about John's personality, his temper, and his demands for a perfectly ordered and clean house, such as from Bromwin's neighbor Debbie Hall.
Missus Hall found out that Bromwin's marriage was not a happy one. Missus Hall asked mister Winfield what had happened to Bromwin. Mister Winfield replied, she wasn't happy to see me there. I went in, We had dinner together and then put the kids to bed. After that, we had a bit of an argument and she threw her hands up in the air and told me that she needed a break. She went into the bedroom and made a phone call, and about fifteen minutes later, a person came
and picked her up. Mister Winfield told Hall that he did not know who broman had gone with and did not look out the front.
And Jane Johnston.
During telephone conversations, Bromwin informed missus Johnston that she was arguing with Jonathan Winfield. Bromwan confided that she was scared of john and worried that he would hit her. Romwin told her of an incident where Jonathan had her backed up against the kitchen cabinets and had raised his hand.
The detective told the coroner that Bromwin's eldest daughter took it upon herself to walk to the police station to see Glenn one day. The sixteen year old was prompted by an article that Glenn had helped place in the local media. Cristel was gently asked to return the next day with an adult so that a statement could be taken at the police station.
At that time, Cristel did not want her father to know that she was attending the police station and did not want the police to notify mister Winfield that she wanted to be spoken to him. Crystal recalls an argument between her mother and father where her father struck her mother across the face with an open hand. Crystal states that her father would also lose control of his temper with her and Lauren. On one occasion, Crystal recalls being thrown against the wall by her father.
Witnesses told Glenn Taylor of John's alleged desire, stated and implied that he did not want to lose his home in Sandstone Crescent as part of any separation from Bromwin. John's daughter Jodi.
Jonathan Winfield told her that Bromwin needed a break from the children and had gone away for two weeks. Her father related that Bromwin had made a telephone call and a car pulled up out in the front of the house in Lennox Said, and he heard Bromwyn leave.
The detective raised John's suggestion that Bromwin suffered from a mental illness and had copied the actions of her mother, Barbara in abandoning her children.
Mister Winfield states that he believes his wife is alive and may have suffered some form of mental illness.
The coroner heard about John's suggestion to numerous witnesses that Bromwin was alive. How clothes and genes that went missing from Sandstone Crescent were a proof of life.
Mister Winfield claimed that his wife must have returned to the family home at some stage after that evening, as he found clothes missing and the medicare check on the table.
John's furnishing of a receipt for the purchase of fuel at the Amphole service station at eleven o six pm on the sixteenth of May nineteen ninety three was cited too, and finally repeatedly. Glenn Taylor conveyed the insistence from more than a dozen people who knew Bromwin and who said that the devoted mother would never have left her children. Here are their words from their police statements, read aloud by voice actors, and this is not an exhaustive sample.
Shirley Taylor, I find it extremely hard to believe that Bromwin would leave the children behind if she were to go anywhere. I found her to be a most devoted mother who was very attached to her children.
Alan Fisher, Bromwyn appeared to be very devoted mother. I did notice that she kept a very watchful eye on her two children. Bromwin was not the type to leave her kids for even five minutes.
Peter Shanahan, I have observed Brodwin with her two girls, Kristall and Lauren, and I would describe Bronwyn as a very good mother. For her to leave her girls and not make contact is not the Bronwin that I knew. In my opinion, there is no way that Bromwin would have left her go.
Maria Glewis, I would describe Bronwin as a very caring mother and her children's interests always came first. I spent a lot of time with her just prior to her disappearance, and I formed the opinion that she would do anything to stop John getting custody of the children. And I find it extremely hard to believe that she would go on a holiday and not come back and leave the children with John as he has purported.
Glenn Taylor outlined for those in the courtroom when his involvement in Broman's case first started. The detective described to the coroner how Andy and Michelle's inquiry was a catalyst for a review of documents into the original nineteen ninety three police investigation by Graham Diskin.
This reinvestigation was given the operational name of Lumberton. Operational orders dated twenty seventh July nineteen ninety eight were prepared.
Glenn provided some background information about bronwin and her previous relationship, and then Glenn started detailing his first contact with the last person to see her alive.
Mister Winfield attended the ballon Of police station on fifth of August nineteen ninety eight, where he agreed to participate in an electronically recorded interview. Mister Winfield had not formed an opinion of what may have happened to his wife, However, he believed that she was alive, possibly under another identity.
Glenn raised a phone call John Winfield had made. As the police investigation gathered momentum, with witnesses being visited in Lennoxhead and Ballina and farther south in Sydney and the.
Shire, mister Winfield stated that his wife would one day walk back as if nothing had happened. Mister Winfield stated quote, she's probably with some rich sugar daddy on over. Mister Winfield refused to allow police to speak to Crystal or Lauren concerning their mother's disappearance. The proposed media release was delayed for a long period of time due to mister Winfield's strong objections. Details of the disappearance were released to the print and television media.
The media releases included that front page article in the Northern Star newspaper dated July tenth, nineteen ninety nine. The detective told the coroner that there had been.
A canvas of all business premises in Lennoxhead and selected business premises in Ballener with flier and photograph of the missing person, a publication in the Police Service Weekly authorizing a public display of the missing person at all police stations in the state.
Glenn began listing the transactions and total balance of Bromban's day to day bank account leading up to her disappearance on May sixteen. There had been no activity on this account in the years since, and Glenn summarized the witness statement of Shirley Taylor, no relation the landlady at Byron Street, where Bromin lived in a flat in nineteen ninety three, before returning to the family home on the afternoon of Friday, May fourteen.
Missus Taylor states that at a later time she was cleaning the townhouse that had been vacated by bromwin Winfield. Missus Taylor states that she located a cane jewelry box on.
Top of a wardrobe.
Inside the jury box was a brown ring case which contained a gold chain with a tourist megallion, a further gold chain, a heart shaped pendit with a diamond in the center, one nine carrot gold wedding band, one gold engagement ring with eight diamonds surrounding a larger diamond in the center, and a gold pendant containing an opal surrounded by fourteen diamonds. Also in the jewelry box was a thick chain, gold bracelet, a pink heart shaped soap, and a red and white dice.
As you heard, the gold chain had a medallion with the star sign of Taurus. Roman was born on April twenty four. She was a Taurus Broman had left all of this behind, along with the funds in her bank account.
Do you want to have a break, sergeant, You must be getting a bit dry on the throat.
If you like your worship.
One thing that did not come out during the first and subsequent days of the inquest was the fact that this was Glenn Taylor's last official duty as a police officer. Two decades as a detective on constant call out to serious crime scenes had taken its toll on Glenn's mental health. Here's Glenn now reflecting on that period.
My doctor recommended that it was probably time that I ceased, so I was off on sick leave. And then while I was on sick leave, was announced that they set a date for the coroner's inquest. I'd already made up my mind. There's absolutely no way I would ever let the Reed family down. I went to see my doctor and brought myself off sick leaves, especially so I could
attend the inquest for that week. The last day of the inquest in two thousand and two, on the Friday, was my last day I actually worked in the police.
Glenn Taylor finished his statement with a summary of the entire case and his view of what had happened to Brommin.
I would submit there is overwhelming, circumstantial evidence to suggest that the missing person, Bromin Joy Winfield, is in fact deceased. The missing person separated from her husband in March nineteen ninety three after a period of being involved in an unhappy relationship. The missing person had engaged mister Mannering, a local solicitor, and later mister mcdebitt, a solicitor from Lismore. Missus Winfield had instructed mister mcdebitt that her marriage was
at an end and there was no hopeful reconcipation. Mister mcdebitt rode to mister Wingfield regarding property settlements and took instructions regarding custody of the children, Crystal and Lauren. The missing person spoke to her neighbor, Missus Debbie Hall, late on the afternoon of Sunday, sixteenth May nineteen ninety three. At those days did Missus Wingfield disclose that she intended
to have a break from the children. In fact, she told Missus Hall she had a busy week ahead and had to get the children off to school the following morning. There is ample evidence of violable from witnesses that the missing person was in fear of the consequences when her husband found out that she had moved back into the family home, Mister Wingfield immediately arranged to travel by aircraft
back to Ballona to travel to the family home. Witnesses interviewed have indicated that mister Wingfield had stated that there was no way he his wife was going to get possession of the house. He had used words to the effect quote, I've already lost two houses before and I'm not going to lose another one. Mister Winfil arrived in Ballener at about six point thirty pm and was picked up by mister John Watson at the airport.
As we've explained in previous episodes, John said that when he arrived in Balliner it was dark. The schedule four Ansett Airlines showed that the get from Sydney was due to land at seven twenty five pm. It was not known to Glenn Taylor or Matt Fordham at the time of the inquest that John's timeline of events did not work. Glenn was aware that John Watson had collected John Winfield from Balliner Airport on that fateful Sunday evening.
He then attended the Balloner police station to check if there was any apprehended domestic violence orders in place that would prevent him from attendant Sandstone Crescent Lennox Head. Mister Winfield then traveled to the family home, picking up his daughter's schoolfriend, Rebecca McGuire on the way. Upon arrival, he knocked on the door and was met by the missing person Bromwin Winfield and the children. Miss McGuire recalls that there were two suitcases near the entrance to the doorway.
Miss McGuire observed mister Winfield to take these suitcases and put them into the white Ford sedan.
The detective suggested what many listeners to this podcast have also speculated, bromwin had obviously packed John's clothes into suitcases, which she put near the front door, presumably so that he could take those away and be gone with a minimum of fuss.
However, mister Winfield makes no reference to the suitcases when interview. It would appear that mister winfil Field returned to sixty Sandstone Crescent, lannox Head after dropping off Rebecca maguire. Exactly what then happened inside sixty Sandstone Crescent, lenox Head is unknown.
Referring to John's nineteen ninety eight recorded interview in the ballon a police station, the detective said.
Mister Winfield has maintained that he and his wife sat down at the table discussing their marriage. He claims that his wife made a decision that she needed a break from the children and then went and made a telephone call to an unknown person. Mister Winfield then claims that his wife left via the front door after he heard a motor vehicle pull up out the front. Mister Winfield states that he did not investigate who was driving this
unknown vehicle. Mister Winfield then claims that he then made a decision to return to Sydney, immediately, taking the children with him. He is unable to satisfactorily explain the urgency for him to travel to Sydney, except to say that the children traveled better at night.
To be fair to John, however, it isn't obvious from the transcript of John's police interview in nineteen ninety eight that he was pressed on this point, Why did you just up and leave like that? How did that make any sense? John was a witness of few words in that police interview. He was not the sort of witness who would start sharing information in anticipation of a question. He would not give long answers. If not pressed, he just didn't say.
Mister Wingfold claims that he went immediately to the Amphile Pied Piper, where he fuelled the vehicle at eleven oh six pm that night. It appears obvious that he felt the need to retain the receipt. It would appear that three days later, on the nineteenth of May nineteen ninety three, on the insistence of mister Andrew Reid, the brother of the missing person, that mister Winfield contacted mister Nolan and arranged to having break into the family home to check
on the welfare of missus Winfield. Mister Nolan and mister Hargrave, the neighbors of the Winfields, forced entry to the house, but found no sign of the missing person. Mister Winfield has claimed throughout the entire investigation that his wife ran off somewhere or with someone. Witnesses have all said that she was a very good, devoted mother who lived for
her children. It would appear totally against her character that she would have left the children for good, let alone for two weeks without telling them her intention to have a break. This investigation appears to have raised more unsold questions then it has provided answers.
The detective sergeant then asked a number of questions which he said cried out for definitive answers.
Why would Jonathan Winfield bring all of his clothing and his surfboard back on the plane and then immediately return to Sydney in the family vehicle. Surely it would have been easy to bring his property back in the family car at a later time. Why didn't Bromwin Winfield just take the family car if she wanted to leave the house. Up until that night, Bromwin had maintained sole possession of
the family vehicle. Why would the missing person have the locks to the family home changed and then let her husband remain in the house on the night of sixteenth of May nineteen ninety three when she allegedly left of her own free will. Why did Jonathan Winfield back the car out of the driveway and down the hill with the lights to the vehicle being turned on. Bromwyn Winfield had informed missus Tracy Brown that she was scared of her husband coming back to the house to try to
get her out. Why would Bromwin so easily give up possession of the house after having the locks change. Jonathan Winfield makes no mention of obtaining the new keys to the house from Bromwin. What happened to Bromwin's keys to the house? Did she or rather why would she supply them to her husband before leaving the house.
Glenn Taylor raised the solid plans of Kim Marshall in Tasmania to come and stay with her sister Bromwin in Lennox head. They had been talking about it on the telephone four weeks in advance.
Why didn't Bromwin contact to inform her that she was having a break from the house and the children. Why did the missing person suddenly cease contact with Meaghan Reed? They apparently used to contact each other on a daily basis. In fact, why did the missing person not seek contact
with all of her friends? The missing person had told her stepdaughter jad that Jonathan Winfield was not welcome back at the family home, and she intended to get a restraining order to prevent him from coming to the house. Why would she then leave the house and allow mister Winfield to stay. Jonathan Winfield told his daughter Jadie that Bromwin had gone away for two weeks as she had
had enough. If this is a situation, why didn't she the missing person let her employer know, cancel her appointment with the solicitor, or let any of her friends know. Why didn't the missing person return to the rended flat and collect valuable and personal property left at that location. Additionally, why wouldn't Bromwin return the keys to the rented unit make a claim for bond money that she paid?
Glenn Taylor said he had interviewed friends of Bromin who said they were told by John that his estranged wife.
Had left on a planned trip to have a break for a week or two from the children. This appears totally at odds in that Bromwin was seeking sole custody of the children.
The detective then raised John's employment at that time with Glen Webster, the builder in the shire south of Sydney. You'll recall that John was helping Glen build a house in Illawan before and after Broman's disappearance.
Why didn't Jonathan Winfield inform mister Glenn Webster that he was going to travel back to Lennox Head. At this time, Jonathan Winfield was in the middle of a job at mister Webster's house. Why did Jonathan Winfield tell Rebecca McGuire that he needed someone to be present whilst he picked up clos from the family home. Why were the sitcases
near the front door of the family home. When Jonathan Winfield returned from Sydney, had Brohman packed his clothes for him with the intention of not coming back to the house. Why doesn't mister Winfield recall this when he was interviewed. Why did Jonathan Winfield feel the need to retain the receipt regarding the purchase of the fuel at the Airpole Pied Piper service station on the evening of sixteenth or May nineteen ninety three. Why has he kept that receipt
in his possession since that time? Why hasn't Bromwin touched any of her bank accounts since fourteenth of May nine ninety three. Mister Winfield has claimed that his wife must have returned back to the house and left a signed Medicare check on the table and taken clothes, including a pair of his genes. Why wouldn't a missing person tried to contact her children? Why didn't anyone see Bromwin back at the house? Where had Bromwin been for the previous
few weeks? What money was she using to live on? Bromwin had taken no clothing when she left, Where would she have got clothes to wear?
Each question from Glen Taylor was laden with the inference of suspicion and foul play. He narrated a lengthy list in the courtroom that day. We have not included all of Glen Taylor's questions from the witness stand sitting in the courtroom Bromman's brother Andy and his wife Michelle, believed they knew why most of Glenn's questions were unanswerable by John, and John had no intention of giving evidence himself. Andy and Michelle already saw their brother in law as a
cold blooded killer. Several of Broman's friends, watching the evidence unfold, were of the same mind.
At the completion of the investigation, there appears that there can only be two possible scenarios as to what has happened to bromwin Winfield. A Missus Winfield has left of her own accord and is living somewhere else in Australia or elsewhere under a different name, a different identity. This is what Jonathan Winfield suggests, or b Missus Winfield is deceased.
After taking it into account all of the vilable evidence, I would submit that the evidence would suggest, at least on the balance of probabilities, that Missus Winfield is in fact deceased.
It was now time for John's defense lawyer, Craig Leggett to speak up. I object to the next bit, Coroner.
I'm not sure that you will be assisted by the next paragraph.
Well, it's the view of the investigator. It's an opinion he's entitled to excit express.
The detective was given permission to keep going and to express in court the point that John's lawyer did not want ventilated.
If the coroner comes to the conclusion that Bromin Winfield is deceased, I would submit that there is very strong circumstantial evidence that a known person, namely Jonathan Winfield, is responsible for her death. I would urge that consideration be given that the coronial brief be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider if criminal charges should be laid against Jonathan Winfield in connection with the suspected.
Death of Brommein Winfield.
Thank you, Detective.
When Glenn Taylor had finished reading out his lengthy summary, it was mid afternoon in the Lismore Courthouse, but the most important evidence of day one it was still to come. Bronwyn is written and investigated by me Headley Thomas as a podcast production for The Australian. If anyone has information which may help solve this cold case, please contact me confidentially by emailing Bronwyn at the Australian dot com dot au.
You can read more about this case and see a range of photographs and other artwork at the website Bronwyn Podcast dot Com. Our subscribers and registered users here episodes first. The production and editorial team for Bromwin includes Claire Harvey, Kristin Amiot, Joshua Burton, Bridget, Ryan Bianca, far Marcus, Katie Burns, Liam Mendez, Sean Callen, Matthew Condon and David Murray, with
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