This is the case of Marion Barter, a mother, teacher friend missing for twenty five years.
You know, no sign that she was going to vanish.
That's for sure.
The bizarre circumstances surrounding her disappearance, I'm not.
Sure if it was intentional or if there's something more foul afoot. If you could imagine a teacher coming straight from say little house on the prairie to the eighties, that was Marian Barter.
What I say, whether you find Marian Barter dead or alive, I honestly believe somebody has that key piece of information.
And the relentless quest of a daughter to find her mum.
Something had happened, Something has happened to make her leave.
I am one hundred percent sure, one hundred percent sure that somebody knows something. The Lady Vanishes, Episode forty three. I'm Alison Sandy.
And I'm Brian Seymour.
Last month, out of the Blue, we received an email from a woman in Belgium who just found out about our podcast. Her name is Alexandra Piraboom. She'd also read some of the news articles about the bizarre disappearance of Marion Bart and was overwhelmed by what she discovered. You see, it all sounded so familiar.
Because back in two thousand and six, Alexandra Piraboom's mother in law had been wooed and promised the world by a mysterious man, a man who traded in coins and traveled a lot, a man that the family didn't know much about. After a whirlwind romance, Misspiraboom's mother in law announced that she was going to get married, sell her house and her car, and start a new life in Australia.
Oh and the name of this mysterious man, well, no doubt it will set off some alarm bells. Frederic Deheevari, Yes, one of the many monikers used by the name we currently know as Rick Blum. Here's the email we received from Alexandra Piraboom in October.
Dear Madam, dear sir. Last week have heard for the first time about Marian Barter as I was making a search on Internet about Frederic d' dovari. My mother in law was a victim of Frederic Duvari in two thousand and six. At that time she contacted the police at teverin Belgium. But since that time we never heard anything about him, except one time from the police of Tournay, Belgium, because he had made a new victim yesterday. I sent a testimony of what happened to the Belgian Federal Police.
Please contact directly the Belgian police for more details. I have also tried to send my testimony in French via this website New South Wales dot crimestoppers dot com dot au, but I'm not sure that they received it. I'm sorry my English level is not good enough to explain the details clearly, but feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Best regards, Alexandra Peerbum.
Miss Piraboom has spoken with Tom and Yannik, our colleagues at the Luxembourg Word newspaper, and we have interviewed miss Piraboom with the help of one of our team, Estelle Sanchez, in French. Miss Piraboom does not speaking English. We are passing that on to authorities and lawyers along with the statement she provided to police in Belgium. It is written in French, which we have translated. At the top.
It says concern Frederic Dedovarin.
Testimony concerning Frederic de Hedevari and in brackets.
Elis rig Blum alias.
Rick Blum and other pseudonyms.
Then disparision de Marienbachter.
Disappearance of Marion Barter, brackets articles read in the media. Here is what miss Pireboom had to say.
Monday, October tenth. Just then I ad a federal police officer on the phone that I've contacted via the following phone number eight. I briefly explain the reason of my call and I put in writing more details below. Last week I researched the name Frederic de Adavari, whom my mother in law was a victim of in two thousand and six. By accident, I stumbled upon an article in a Lexembourg journal published on July tenth, twenty twenty two, about the disappearance of Mayan Bart, whose story I was
completely unaware of. I'm terribly outraged when reading the story because I realized that my mother in law had a similar experience in two thousand and six with the same swindler. The modus operandi that Frederic de Odavari, Alis rig Blam and other pseudonyms used to defraud my mother in law was identical to the one used for Mayan BARTA meeting there an ad the selling of the house, cash withdrawal departure for Australia without saying goodbye to her kids. Fortunately,
the story didn't go as far. My mother in law luckily is still alive. The swindler disappeared just before the scheduled departure to Australia. My mother in law, Gislaine de boisd'onlois, lodged a complaint to the Teverrian police in September two thousand and six, a few years after she was contacted by the Tourney police regarding another victim of Frederic d'erdavari that barely got away and to whom the exact same
thing happened. I would like to describe to you the memory I have of Frederick d'rdavari, since this individual looked dangerous to me right from the first time that I saw him. I had the occasion to meet Frederic on August nine, two thousand and six. The memory of that nine makes my blood run cold. A few days before, my mother in law announced her of three children who were living in Belgium, that she wished to gather the whole family to announce a very important news. We didn't
know what it was all about. Her son, who was living in friends couldn't make the trip for that reason, she organized a trip to France, where we were all invited as well. On the scheduled day, I went to my mother in law's at Teverinn with my partner, Gabrielle Dubois and ad two year old son. The rest of the family was there as well. When I entered the house, I saw a man that I didn't know and greeted him in a hurry, thinking that he was a neighbor
that came unexpectedly since we didn't get introduced. When the whole family arrived, my mother in law poured us champagne flutes and announced, here is Frederick. We love each other, we are getting married, and we are going to live in Australia. We were all shocked to hear such a brutal news. I remember that we could feel the emotion for my mother in law, while Frederick remained as called as house as if he wasn't involved in this news.
Some family members were trying to lighten the mood by asking a few questions to the men of this festive meal. Frederick had prepared a spaghetti bowl in his dish with starr andese. We sat down to eat in front of everyone, He told different notable anecdotes of his life. He explained that he was first to gendarme in Belgium, then, following an accident, he left for Australia. His accident left its mark because he walked with a limp. We all noticed it.
During meal time, he kept on telling ghoulish and unhealthy stories. He said he took part in the Vietnamese War as an Australian Army volunteer. He told us a greesome story about it. He was made a war prisoner and was put in a hole so narrow that he could only stand up. Next to him in another hole was a Vietnamese woman who was a prisoner like him. He gave us sordid details regarding the agony and death of that woman. I don't remember it. I felt very uneasy towards what
he was explaining. I thought he was completely inappropriate to tell those kinds of details to people we are seeing for the first time. During the night, he also mentioned poisons. I remember it because that particular subject came back in discussions a few weeks after.
Just hitting the pause for a moment, did anyone else's ease prick up at the mention of poison. Anyway, on with missus Piriboom's statement.
He told us he was a new missmatist professional, which means he went around the world looking for different types of rare and ancient currencies and this was what justifies his numerous travels. The night came to an end and we asked Frederic if we could see him before his departure for Australia. He said that it's unlikely because he was very busy. The next day, Augusta tenth I was going on the holiday to France with my partner and
my son. We had to see my mother in law again in Khakasan a few days after so she could announce verbally the news of her departure to his son who lived in the southware to friends. During this family meeting, we talked more freely since Frederic d' davari was in there. We learned that my mother in law was going to sell a house and all that was inside, as well
as her car, prior to a departure for Australia. We also learned that he would have advised her to leave without telling her kids about it, but that she refused this condition.
Thank goodness that Alexandra's mother in law refused this condition and made sure her family was informed. We already see that this account is entirely in keeping with Rick Bloom's manner and his nature. Notice he makes a grand claim for himself as a numismatist, which means coin collector, reminiscent of other claims he's made, including that he was a multi millionaire with a vast property portfolio, including a plantation of cedar trees, and that his wife, Diane was an
heiress to a supermarket tycoon. It makes us wonder what other fantastic lies he's peddled on.
With the statement, we learned that he traveled a lot in between Europe and Australia. My mother in law told us not to worry, because she could come back often. I told her they would be welcome to stay in our guest room when they would come. She answered that it was unnecessary. Usually Frederic stayed at the Astoria Hotel when he came to Prisel's. However, for the time being, he had rented a room in the student accommodation of ULB since he was staying in Belgium for a long
period of time. I was quite taken about by the contrast between a grand hotel and an uncomfortable student room. I found it weird. We all tried to learn how she met him, but she remained vague in a answer, saying she knew him for a very long time via mutual acquaintances. Later on, at the time she lodged a complaint against him September two thousand and six, and that she only met him a few weeks before she introduced him to us via a personal meeting ad that she
published in a newspaper herself. When we came back from our holiday at the end of August, we helped my mother in law at your house since she was very much decided upon putting it on sale and quickly leave for Australia. My partner and myself have packed books in boxes. We did this for several consecutive days. During that time. We saw Frederick de'rdevari at least twice at my mother in law's. He was quite unemotional and distant. We saw
him burn documents that were his in the chimney. He asked just then to do all kinds of medical tests before leaving. While I was sorting out some books, I witnessed a troubling scene. My mother in law was on the phone with a doctor and explained that she wanted to do some medical examinations before leaving. Frederic was next to her and he was listening to everything she said. Careilly. Certainly, he said, ask for an ultra sound of the liver.
My mother in law is very healthy. Everything seemed weird to me. She keeps stalking to the doctor, disregarding the remarks of Frederic. Then he shouts insistently request an ultrasound of the liver. My mother in law mentioned it to reductor. Then Frederick der Duvari's behavior at the specific moment seemed abnormal to me. He became aggressive for no apparent reason. On another day, the second day, we saw Frederic at
my mother in law's. While we were emptying the house, we learned that certain objects would directly be sent to Australia in a still chest that he brought. My mother in law wanted to put in some books and photos that add significance to her, but he found pretenses to choose what would go in the chest himself. Essentially, he took all the high value objects that were in the house,
including a silver cutlery set. He told her in front of us that it was to Pete to send books all the way to Australia and that it would cost her less to repurchase the books once there. He was in a hurry to have his chest expedited as soon as possible because it was his accountant who was supposed to receive it on end, and he wasn't going to be able to take the delivery if Frederic didn't send
the package right now. When sorting out several books, my partner found a book about deadly poisons that leave no trace. Remembering that Frederic talked about poisons the first time we met, he asked him if the book was of any interest to him. He sees the book quite aggressively, and we were startled at his strong reaction.
There's that poison reference again. This is something that must be investigated, the statement continues.
During this house decluttering days, my partner insisted Frederic and his mum come have dinner at harp Place before they leave. Frederic didn't want to because he had too many things to do, but my mother in law insisted and said she couldn't turn her son down. Frederic ended up agreeing and a day was secured for our get together. On that day, my mother in law arrived at our place. I can't remember the exact date, but it's the day
she lodged a complain to the police. At the beginning of September, we were waiting for Frederic, who was coming back from a trip to Amsterdam where he went to the Miss Matt Fair. We waited for a long time. My mother in law was getting more and more worried. She tried to call him, but it didn't answer. She told us that she was worried about the fact that he had a large sum of cash money on him
and was scared that he might have been assaulted. I accompanied her to the police station, where they told her to get to the Tavurun Polly Sprincinct since that's where domicile was. It was only a few days after that she admitted having been the victim of a swindler who disappeared with all of her savings. Since there were duplicate keys of our house at my mother in law's, I immediately changed the locks for fear that Frederick would break
into her house. To help my mother in law, I tried to get information from the place where he stayed. The student accommodation at uelb. They confirmed that he did stay there, but they refused to give me more information. I also know that the chest was sent by FedEx. I tried to know what it was expediated, but they
refused to give me that information. My mother in law learned that Frederick de Davari did several years jail time for various cams a number of years after she was contacted by the Tourney Police following the complaint of another one of Frederic de Adavari's victims. Since then, we haven't had any more news on his account until I read these articles on the internet about Marion Bart's disappearance.
The statement is then signed.
Alexandra Pebum October the tenth.
So we'll give you a few moments to let all of that information sink in. Thank you, Alexander for getting in touch, for reporting this to the police, and for providing such a detailed account of what happened to your family back in two thousand and six. We sincerely hope that your mother in law, you and the rest of the family are all doing well and that you too will get the answers that you deserve.
There is so much to unpack. We are wondering just how big this case is going to get. It feels like Marion Barter's story is just the tip of an enormous iceberg. How many other women have also gone missing after inexplicably upending their lives. We are so grateful to Alexandra Pirreboom for getting in touch with us, and it's further confirmation of the need for this story to keep being shared because there is so much more to uncover.
A reminder, if you know anything about Marion Barter's disappearance, or if you know anything about Rick Bloom or any of his aliases, please contact us at the Lady Vanishes at seven the word seven dot com dot AU.
Okay, let's go through what Alexandra Piroboom's statement tells us, the similarities, the coincidences, and the things that really stand out. We'll often refer to Rick Blum as Frederic Dehadevery because that was the name he was using when Alexandra Piroboom's mother in law met him in two thousand and six, but the names are interchangeable. Miss Piroboom describes Frederic de Headevery as a coin dealer who frequently traveled between Australia and Europe. No surprise is there. Rick Blum and his
wife Dianda Hedeverary talk about his interesting coins. So did two of the women he previously duped in Australia, Janet Oldenburg and Jeannette Gaffney Bowen miss Pireboom claimed he suffered a limp from injuries he said he'd acquired during his time with the Belgian police. Again, that story aligns with the evidence we've heard in the inquest from multiple witnesses.
In the statement, Frederick de Hedevereri is described as telling sordid and incredible stories about being a prisoner during the Vietnam War, which is absurd given his claim that he spent most of the nineteen sixties recuperating from injuries which
left him a lifelong disability. Pensioner Monique Cornelius, the ex wife of the real Fernand Remicel, who was the object of Rick Blum's desire in Luxembourg, has also claimed Blum was prone to telling improbable stories about himself, about his involvement in a war in Asia, and that he was a special agent for the British embassy. Miss Cornelius claimed that Blum was drawing a picture of himself that wasn't true, that did not much the truth of how he lived.
From reading miss Pireboom's statement, it seems she found the same thing when she learned Frederic Deheevereri claimed he usually stayed at the historic Astoria Hotel in Brussels, but actually was lodging in student accommodation. If you recall, this is what she said in her statement.
I was quite taken about by the contrast between a grand hotel and an uncomfortable student room. I found it weird.
Interestingly, a quick Google search reveals that the Astoria Hotel in Brussels lay vacant for ten years from two thousand and six.
Now to the modus operandi number one finding women through lonely hearts ads, Alexandra Piraboom says her mother in law Gulaine Dubois de Lois, met Frederic de Hedeveri in two thousand and six through a personal ad she published in Belgium. The Similarities. Rick Bloom claims he reconnected with Marion Barter in nineteen ninety seven through a personal ad. Bloom admits publishing his own Lonely Hearts ad in the French Australian newspaper The Courier Australia in nineteen ninety four, using the
alias Fernandremichel and Sidney Woman. Jeannette Gaffney Bowen also says she met Frederic de Hedeveri via a personal ad in the late nineteen nineties.
Two the promise of a new life in another country. According to Miss Piraboom, her mother in law had a well winged romance and suddenly decided to sell her house and car with plans to marry Frederic de Hedeveri and move to Australia. She was not to tell her children of these plans, but she refused the similarities. Jeanette Gaffney Bowen says Frederick de Herdiverari wanted her to sell her Sydney home and claimed he would buy a property in
Paris for her. Janet Oldenburg says she was urged to sell her home and sign over power of attorney to her affairs. She was promised a new life in the French Riviera. Monique Cornelius says the man she knew told her he wanted to take her away on a long sailing trip, just the two of them. Rick Blum admits having a relationship with Marian in the months before she unexpectedly announced she's taking a trip to Europe for an indefinite period, suddenly quitting her job and selling her house
and car. She does not tell her family or friends of her relationship with Blum and has secretly changed her name to Florabella Remkeel. At the same time, Blum has a driver's license in the name for nand Remicel. On a passenger card, her occupation is listed as housewife from Luxembourg.
Number three. The Valuables go Missing. Miss Pireboum claims that her mother in law became worried about Frederick to Headeverary when he didn't show up at a planned dinner event because he had a large sum of cash on him. She later admitted she'd been scammed of her life savings. Miss Pireboum also became concerned when she was helping her
mother in law pack up her house. She said to Headevary had provided a trunk to put things in to send directly to Australia, and he was dictating that only items of value, including a silver cutlery set, were to be put in there. The similarities when Marion Barter packed up her home. Some of her property was stored with family and friends. However, her collection of valuable antiques and paintings have never been found in evidence. Rick Bloom admits
he stored some of Marian's belongings for a short time. Also, large sums of money were drained from Marion's bank account on a daily basis in the weeks after her passport returned to Australia in nineteen ninety seven. Jeanette Gaffney Bowen says she trusted Frederick to Hedevery with her credit card to start a business, and thirty thousand dollars was taken from her account. She says he bought wine over but he didn't drink it. He made her a special meal
and she felt she'd been drugged. He then took nude photos of her and threatened to show them around if she didn't provide him with money. Also, she claims a gold nugget, jewelry, and silver coins went missing from her home while the headiverary was staying there. Rick Bloom denies all of these allegations. Janet Oldenburg says the man she knew as rich Richard or Rick West, advised her to make him power of attorney in her affairs, which she did.
When the pair was traveling in Europe, he carried the title deeds to her home and the power of attorney documents in his luggage. He also had them when he left her in England and traveled back to Australia without her. Also before their trip, he convinced Janet Oldenburg to put her valuables into a tube, which he buried in her backyard. When she returned home independently, the tube was missing. Rick Bloom claims he never had the documents and that he returned the jewelry to Janet Oldenburg.
As you can see, there are striking and undeniable similarities between the cases, demonstrating a pattern of behavior stretching over forty years. There are also some other things that really stand out. Let's start with the poison. In her statement, Miss Piriboom says Frederick Deheevari spoke about his knowledge of poisons at the family dinner when they first met. Weeks later, when shown a book about poisons that don't leave a trace, he appeared very interested and took possession of it. The
incident stood out in Miss Pireboom's memory as odd. Now we've not heard about an interest in poisons previously. However, it is definitely something that should be investigated further. Has this man mentioned a knowledge of poisons to his friends, family, or the other women who have made his acquaintance. What does he know about different types of poison? Does he know what different poisons can do to humans? Does he keep any poisons on his property now or did he
in the past? If so, what does he own any books and poisons? Has he done any research on his computer about poisons? Is he known to poison vermin on his property? If so, how does he dispose of the carcasses? All of these questions need to be answered.
Next, why did mister Dehnivery demand that Miss Peterburn's mother in law ask about her having a liver scan? Miss Piterburm outlined in her statement a bizarre and rude interaction she overheard while her mother in law was on the phone to her doctor. These are her words again.
Suddenly he said, ask for an ultra sound of the liver. My mother in law is very healthy. Everything seemed weird to me. She keeps stocking to the doctor, disregarding the remarks of Frederick. Then he shouts insistently request an ultrasound of the liver.
When one is traveling overseas, it's not uncommon to seek medical advice, to get some extra scripts for medication and check that your vaccinations are up to date, etc. But it seems very strange to actively seek a liver's scan before traveling to Australia, which is a developed country with an excellent health system, especially if you're healthy and not showing any signs of liver disorder. There are some questions
that need to be asked. Was mister de Hedevereri purely trying to assert his dominance by telling Miss Pereboom's mother in law what to do? Or was he trying to prove his intellectual prowess by claiming knowledge about medical procedures, Or was there a reason he wanted to know about the condition of his new love interests liver and is
this somehow linked to his apparent knowledge of poisons. We can also tell you that Marion Barter, according to her medical records kept by Sally and researched by the super Sleuths, also had a liver scan before she went overseas. You might recall in episode eighteen, we revealed that on May seven, nineteen ninety seven, just over a month before she left to go overseas, Marian had two blood tests at the Queensland Medical Laboratory Pathology Centre. One was a liver function
test where six or more elements were requested. Marian and Julane both had liver tests before their trips, and Rick Bloom or Frederic was allegedly interested in poisons. One poison, arsenic has no color, taste or smell and can kill within hours or days. It can only be detected in urine twenty four to forty eight hours after being ingested. It was one of Agatha Christie's favorite methods of murder. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,
arsenic undergoes biomethylation in the liver. It is how humans process and detoxify arsenic from the body. Then approximately seventy percent is excreted through urine.
Thirdly, Miss Piroboom says mister D'HIVERI burns some personal documents in the fireplace. It would be good to know what these were. Also, the statement mentions that Frederick de HEADEVERI wants the trunk containing his new partner's possessions to be shipped to Australia as soon as possible. Again, here's the direct translation of Miss Piroboom's words.
He was in a hurry to have his chest expedited as soon as possible because it was his accountant who was supposed to receive it on hand, and he wasn't going to be able to take the delivery if Frederic didn't send the package right now.
Who is this accountant, where does he live and what does he know about mister de Headavari's shipments? Also does FedEx still retain records regarding this delivery.
Finally, something needs to be said about Miss Piroboom's recollection of Frederic de Heeadiverari's demeanor. She was only in his company on a few occasions once she found him, and I quote extremely dangerous from the first moment I met him. She remembers him as cold and distant and detached from
the obvious excitement Misspirebum's mother in law displayed. Miss Pirebeum noted his belittling tone when he told her mother in law what to put in the trunk to send to Australia, admonishing her in front of everyone, saying it was stupid to send books there. Miss Piriboom also became weary when Frederick to Herdeveri's temper suddenly flared, and he shouted at her mother in law when she was on the phone to her doctor, demanding she request a scan of the liver.
Miss Pirebeam said she found the behavior completely abnormal and that he became aggressive for no apparent reason. Another of Frederic Dehadiveri's former female acquaintances as also previously spoken of his temper back in episode twenty eight. This is what Jeanette Gaffney Bowen had to say.
A blackmail doun threatened me. It wanted me to do what he wanted me to do, like sailing my house for the money.
Miss Gatney Bowen said, mister dehada Erry threatened to put garbage all over the garden and have her childcare business closed down, so she contacted the Belgian consulate to report him, and then she called the police.
What was in your mind after he took the photos? What was he seeking from you?
Money? That's all he was he has been after all along. I got scared. I was becoming very scared, so I contacted the police.
She sought an apprehended domestic personal violence order in December nineteen ninety eight, amid suggestions he threatened to get Miss Gatney Bowen's family in Australia and overseas. After that, she said she didn't hear from mister de Headaveri again. However, the court was told that around this time there was an anonymous complaint to the Department of Community Services about
Miss Gaffney Bowen's home based childcare service. It mentioned certain aspects of our house that only a few people knew, and mister D'hadaveri was one of them.
We're not quite sure how or if this statement will be incorporated into the evidence that's been gathered for the inquest into the disappearance of Marion Barter. Given that there are only a few weeks until a decision is due to be handed down, I contacted Rick Bloom by phone to put these allegations to him and to give him the right of reply.
Really, Hello, Ricketts.
Brian Seymour at The Lady Vanish's podcast, I'm recording this conversation. I'm calling to ask about Alexandra Pirebum and her mother in law, Julane. They claim you stole money and valuables from them in two thousand and six, and I'm offering you the chance to respond.
Not to worry.
When did you meet and how did you meet Julane?
Just please don't worry about thanks.
No, I have to worry about it because they claim you've still in money and valuables and you're regreative and threatening. Oh Jesus, yes, yes, How much did you take from them? Rick? And I never took anything. Just did you ask her to start a new life with you in Australia? And what else? What else?
Just leave me alone?
No, No, I can't do that because more and more women are coming forward. How many women have you? Rick? Rick? All right? Rick has hung up? All right.
Now we return to the final submissions delivered to the State Coroner in late October. Last episode, we focused on the new evidence of former bank manager Joan Hazlitt and the submission of counsel assisting the coroner, Adam Casselton. We have more now from to custodon on the finding Sally Layden and her family are seeking from the court in regards to the police investigation.
The family seek eleven specific findings in regard to the police investigation into Marian's disappearance. One a finding that Graham Child should not have classified Sally's report as an occurrence only event. We support that finding, your honor. Two a finding that Graham Chiles was unaware of the definition of a missing person in the Commissioner's Instruction Number thirty nine.
We support that contention, Your honor. Three A finding that it was unsatisfactory and inappropriate that Graham Chiles did not reclassify the event from an occurrence only to an act of investigation. We support that, your honor. Four A finding that Senior Constable Michael Pearce should not have verified Graham Child's classification of the event as an occurrence only, Your honor, We did not support that submission, primarily for this reason,
Your honor. Senior Constable Peers was not called as a
whitess and those matters were not put to him. Five A finding that due to these failures in the first reporting of Marian's disappearance, Marian's case was not investigated or listed as a missing person until two thousand and seven, and the failure to open any investigation into Marian's disappearance in nineteen ninety seven has led to the unavailability of crucial evidence surrounding the circumstances of Marian's disappearance, Your Honor,
That proposed finding is supported. Six A finding that Marian was listed as a missing person for the first time on the sixth of July two thousand and seven by Senior Constable Joanne Williams as a result of being contacted by Rebecca Cotts of the Australian Federal Police. We support that contention, Your honor. Seven A finding that Detective Senior Constable Shean's decision to recommend that Marian be removed from the missing person's register was incorrect and should not have occurred.
We support that proposed finding. Eight A finding that Detective Senior Constable Shean did not identify the healthcare provided when Marian's Medicare card had been used on the thirteenth of August nineteen ninety seven in a timely manner. We do not support that proposed finding because there is simply not
enough evidence before Your Honor. Nine A finding that Detective Senior Constable Shan did not sufficiently investigate the name remarkable after discovering that in twenty eleven Marian had changed her name, Your Honor, we do not support that proposed finding again because there is simply not enough evidence. Ten A finding that the only reason why the New South Wales police investigation was reopened in twenty nineteen was because of media
interests in the case, we do not support that proposed finding. Eleven, A finding the Detective Senior Constable Shean did not sufficiently investigate the advertisement in the Curia Australian in which he became aware in May twenty nineteen, Your Honor, we do not support that proposed finding again because there is not enough evidence in our submission before Your Honor to find there would have been any material difference in the invent instigation,
and also because this issue was not addressed with Detector Shan in his evidence.
So of the eleventh findings that Sally Leyden and her family is seeking based on the evidence, the Council assisting the Coroner supports six.
It is baffling that mister Coulston does not think the media, namely this podcast, led to the police investigation into Marion's disappearance being reopened. Perhaps he's forgotten that Marian wasn't even listed as missing when we started, and that Detective she And told us straight out Marian chose to leave on her own. It is a simple fact that Sally Laden and Alison Sandy are the ones responsible for all of this happening, including the police investigation and the coronial in quest.
In his submissions, Sally Layden's lawyer Bradley Smith argued the need for the coroner to recommend that Rick Bloom be charged with perjury. As you can probably recall, mister Bloom's evidence was full of holes, contradictions, exaggerations and lies.
Section fifty nine of the Act expressly gives the court power to require persons to give evidence on oath and to receive evidence on oath. And we say that it must be implied from that express power that the Court has such power to take steps to remedy or ensure there are any consequences for any abuse of that power, in the sense of witnesses being required to give evidence on oath, who then give false evidence. And we say otherwise a mockery could be made of the Court's power.
And therefore mister Smith seeks.
Consequences for false evidence being given.
He honed in on the fact that mister Bloom used passports and driver's licenses in names that were not his legal name.
Not only was Rick Blum, we say, and counsel assisting accepted masquerading under a fake name using a Queensland driver's license fraudulently obtained, but we say additionally he was masquerading under a false passport. And if it is sufficiently relevant your honor to make a finding about the driver's license, we say, the passport is in a similar cap and we'll invite your honor to make that finding.
Counsel assisting Tracy Stevens later clarified that it wasn't a false passport, but a passport that was not in mister Bloom's legal name.
The facts are clear he did travel on a passport which was not in his legal name at the time, and he had also done so on other occasions not related to those as when he traveled at the same time as Marion Barter.
Mister Smith indicated that mister Bloom was instrumental in Marian's decision to quit her job and sell her house.
The obvious and compelling inference being that mister Blum, representing himself to Marian as Fernand knocklus Remarkle is the explanation for why Marian changed her name to Flora Belle Natalia Marian remarkle, and we support you in making finding to
that effect. Your honor knows that that happened in the very same time period, a couple of months before she went overseas, and your honor knows that Marian's selling her house and resigning for her employment also happened in the same period of time that mister Blum first became acquainted with Marian in nineteen ninety seven, in February or at the latest, very early March. Now, some of the debate
may be on the meaning of a causative role. Now we don't suggest, we're not asking you on a defined that it was the main cause or the only cause of Marian resigning her employment and selling a house, but we're asking you to refine that it was a cause. There was evidence, certainly from Sally and Chris, that that sale felt very rushed, and also that the intention to sell her house wasn't disclosed prior to February of nineteen
ninety seven. It wasn't disclosed to her family at Christmas of nineteen ninety six, for example, we say it's very improbable, most unlikely that her decision to sell her house and resign for her employment were unconnected to her involvement with mister Blum at that time, And of course it should be borne in mind that the nature of mister Blum's involvement with Marian at this time is that he was suggesting to her that they should travel overseas, potentially with
the prospect of starting a new life. And so all these drastic life decisions on selling the house at a loss, resigning from employment, changing name, all feed into that narrative, and all feed into mister Blum being at least a causative role, if not the sole or primary cause.
Mister Smith asserts that mister Blum was with Marion Barter during her trip to England, particularly given his familiarity with southern England, an area where he once lived. He also claimed that mister Blum would likely have had contact with Marion upon her return to Australia in August nineteen ninety seven.
Of course, the evidence is somewhat unclear about exactly what Marian was doing and where she was living at the time, but we say your honor taking everything together. Mister Blum and Marian re entered Australia within two days of each other. Marian indicated on her incoming passenger card that she was
married and that she was a resident of Luxembourg. Your honor knows that only two years later mister Blum went to the UK with Janet Oldenburg on a trip which had many similar characteristics to what the evidence bears out about Marion's trip to the UK, and your honor knows that when Janet Oldenburg returned to Australia separately from mister Blum, there was further contact between them after that time, and it was not a short leap to find, on the
balance of probabilities that mister Blum did have contact with Marian after she returned to Australia.
Mister Smith highlighted the significance of mister Blum purchasing a car two days before Marion Barter's Medicare card was used as an optometrist in Grafton, a car that was sold only months later. We also made some very good points about why so many withdrawals from Marion's bank accounts had taken place at Byron Bay.
It is difficult to rationalize why Marian came back having had her life on the Gold Coast and apart from two bank withdrawals at Burly Heads. There's no evidence that
she went near the Gold Coast. All the evidence suggests that she was in the Byron Bay, Grafton Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, precisely where mister Blum was living at that time, and we think that's particularly significant when one bears in mind the absence of any particular connection between Marion and Byron Bay, and the very close temporal relationship between Marion and what we know about what Marian was doing at the time and what mister Blum was doing at the time.
It should be.
Noted that Marian had no particular connection to Byron Bay, or there is no evidence that she did. There was some evidence that she occasionally went shopping there from one of her friends, and Sally gave evidence that Marian did not regular traveled to Byron Bay before she left.
Mister Smith also claimed that mister Blum was likely involved in the withdrawal of eighty thousand dollars from Marion Barter's bank account on October fifteen, nineteen ninety seven, that's just a week before Sally went to Byron Bay searching for her mother on October twenty second, and reported the matter to police.
Sally found out that money had been withdrawn from her mother's account very very proximate to the time at which it occurred, i e. The twenty second of October, which is a week after the large transaction on the fifteenth of October nineteen ninety seven, she went to police. Now, of course, there's every reason to think that if an investigation had been opened at the time, and if it had been a proper investigation, then there's every reason to
think that the documents would have been available. Marian's bank records.
Would have been available.
The person who saw her, if someone did see her at the bank, would have been there, could have been interviewed, would have had a recollection of what happened. It is very possible and indeed likely, if an investigation had been open at that time, that Marian would have been located, or that Sally would have found out more about what happened to her mother than she knows sitting here twenty
five years later. On the second matter, mister Blum's involvement in the large withdrawal or transfer of funds on the fifteenth of October nineteen ninety seven, we accept there is no direct evidence of his involvement. But of course that is true of many things. In this inquest given we are talking about events that happened twenty five years ago, and as we submit, that were not properly investigated at the time, leading to the loss of relevant documentary evidence.
But in this regard, when we speak of involvement, that ranges, as I've said, from persuading Marian to withdraw or transfer the money to start a new life overseas, if you want to accept that that is most likely what the nature of the real relationship was between Marian and mister Blum at this time. That range is then to mister Blum requiring or otherwise forcing Marian to withdraw that money, or it ranges to a fraudulent transaction where that money
was obtained by deception. And your honor of course heard the evidence of mister Blum's history of fraud, and in particular part of that history includes specific convictions for opening bank accounts and using checks in fake names. Now, it's certainly not in every case where you have a large transaction with scant or limited evidence about its nature.
Mister Smith takes aim at the New South Wales Police for the way they handled the matter, and also the Queensland Police, which briefly looked into the case. Both authorities came to the conclusion that Marian had chosen to intentionally disappear, even though neither had actually spoken to her in person or cited her.
All that can be said is that between when she came back into the country on the second of August and when the large sum of money was withdrawn on the fifteenth of October, we, of course except that Marian did not contact any of her family or friends, and that one can only infer that that was a conscious
act on her part. But certainly beyond that we embraced the position that the court simply can't say what happened to Marian after the fifteenth of October nineteen ninety seven, other than to unfortunately conclude that the family accepts that a finding that Marian is deceased is appropriate. A number of witnesses gave oral evidence or written evidence that it was very out of character for Marian to disappear entirely
and severtize with her family. And secondly, Your Honor would have to regard in our submission for the evidence that Marian remained in contact with her family and friends whilst overseas, and in the case of her sister Deirdre, went to great lengths to ensure that she received a birthday present well ahead of time. Now, of course, Marian was doing all of those things whilst having left the country under
a new name, without having disclosed that new name. But the fact remains that she was writing to friends and family under the name Marion Barter, and that she called Sally one or two days before she came back into
the country. So there is a consistent course of conduct during the time she was away of contacting friends and family, and you want to have all that in mind when your honor is considering what findings can be made about Marion's disappearance being intentional after her return to Australia on the second of August nineteen ninety seven.
The inadequacies of the police, whose duty it was to properly investigate Marion's disappearance are well documented right from the time Sally walked into the Byron Bay Police station in nineteen ninety seven. Yet the barrister representing New South Wales Police, Kim Burke, denied any criticism of any of the offices involved.
The evidence regarding seeing your Constable Child's action and recording the incident as an occur It's only needs to be viewed in the context of one his experience, what it was that he knew and what it was that he was told, and in the context of the amount of training he had with respect to a person reported missing. His evidence was that he was not aware of the Commissioner's instructions one three nine, and his evidence was that he believed the only training he had was in nineteen
seventy seven. It also needs to be viewed in the context that he had never dealt with a missing person's case before as well.
Miss Burke's next point is upsetting. She actually tells the coroner that the police investigation wasn't treated as a priority because of the way Marian Barter's daughter, Sally Leyden reported it.
Yes, seriously, the impression formed by former Senior Constable Childs was that Sally was not reporting the mother missing. Rather, it was more in relation to the transactions. He didn't get a sense of urgency, and it was more along the lines that Sally wanted some information being recorded. In Sally's evidence, she said she assumed that she'd be reported missing, but she didn't ask for her to be reported missing. Former Senior Constable Childs used the words concern for safety.
He said it was poorly worded and at the time, because of the information he had, he felt it should be recorded as an occurrence only. He said, had there been concerned for her safety and well being, he would have had no hesitation in recording it as a missing person. The Cops event itself states that the next of kin are concerned the mother had returned to the country and
had not contacted her. There's no reference in the police notebook or in the Cops entry that Sally's concern for the welfare was predicated upon her mother's failure to contact her brother for his birthday on the eighteenth of October. It is my submission that that in itself not appearing in those documents is also indicative that there was not the concern of welfare and safety being conveyed by Sally
to former Senior Constable Childs. There was nothing recorded in the police notebook that a photo of Marian was taken.
Not content with blaming Sally for the police not taking her seriously, Miss Burke then questions Sally's memory.
Sally's evidence in terms of various issues with respect to her memory show the fragility of her memory, and I'm not criticizing her for that, but my point, in relation to accepting the evidence from Sally that she in fact got a phone call from New South Wales Police from the barn Bay Police station unsupported by any objective evidence. In my submission, your honor does not meet the desired probability standard.
Remember, Sally was watching on as Miss Burg piled all of the failings of the police into her lap. She kept going, suggesting police were of the belief that Sally wanted to know why her mother decided to estrange herself, not that there were concerns for her well being.
It's apparent from the evidence given by Detective Senior Constable Shean that he understood that Sally understood that her mother had estranged herself from the family, that she wanted to know why. And one can understand that as the daughter, you'd want to know why your mother would ever do that to you. That is different to understanding in terms of reporting somebody missing and concern for safety and welfare.
New South Wales Police don't investigate the reasons why. That's a personal matter that needs to be done elsewhere, not by the New South Wales Police.
That is a strange statement. When police investigate crimes, they are required to investigate the why as much as the what. It is difficult to get a murder conviction without a motive. Next, Miss Burke claims that when Detective Gary Sheen was put on the case years after Marion disappeared and was finally classified as missing, he was under resourced.
In relation to detective Senior Constables she and your honor. His evidence needs to be viewed in the context of taking over an investigation that was opened by the Missing Persons Unit in two thousand and seven. His evidence also needs to be viewed in the context that he was not part of a strike force. He didn't have the degree of resources available to the very dedicated investigating offices
in this particular inquest. He second guessed himself on two occasions, and as for the file to be reviewed by the Crime Squad Commander and Byron, he was told his investigation was appropriately done. He also asked for it to be overseen and reviewed by the Homicide Squad and that was in July twenty nineteen, and again the investigation was approved.
As identified by Detective Inspector Brown, proper procedure was followed in terms of having his recommendations or report which is contained in his statement reviewed by the manager of the then Missing Persons Unit with New South Wales Police. That manager signed off on the recommendation that Marian b removed as a missing person. Now that's an important piece of crucial information in terms of any consideration of criticizing Detective Senior Constable Sheean, because he didn't go off on a
frolic by himself. He actually made sure he went through the proper chain of command. Detective Inspector Brown, with his degree of expertise, did criticize saying she should not have been taken off the missing person's list, but having said that, it was approved by the then manager of the Missing Persons unit.
Again, the only reason Marian was put on the missing person's list and a new police investigation launched is because Sally met Allison and they recruited the team for this podcast. It's a shame Miss Burke wasn't there when I interviewed Detective Senior Constable Gary Shehan in twenty nineteen, because she would have heard him tell me that he felt sorry for Sally because it was obvious her mother had definitely decided on her own to dump her family and start
a new life. He never mentioned being underresourced to me. In fact, he said he had done everything possible, which he claimed supported his theory that Marian had simply disappeared by choice. Counsel assisting the coroner, Tracy Stevens, concluded the submissions with this very strongly worded criticism miss Burke's argument that the New South Wales Police did nothing wrong at all.
I have some comments by way of replying to the approach taken by New South Wales Police. There should be, in our view, your honor, no criticism of Sally's actions at the time in nineteen ninety seven, or in two
thousand and seven or any time thereafter. There should be no suggestion that she has in any way delayed the investigation by New South Wales Police, or behaved in a manner that, in our submission, can be described as nothing less than totally understandable and consistent with a daughter very confused and anxious at finding out about her mother's circumstances
at that time. I do feel compelled to say that it is unfortunate that there has been this resistance to accepting the inadequacies of the police investigation, which are clear on the face of the documentary records from nineteen ninety seven and the year's following. There has, from our understanding, Your Honor, been an attempt by U South Wales Police to perhaps try and reconcile the actions taken by Officer Childs and Officer Shean with the approach that's been commented
upon by Detective Inspector Brown. From my reading of the evidence you're on a Detective Brown does not give his opinion in any way in hindsight or from above or from a different perspective that is somehow less relevant to an officer who was on the ground. Detective Brown gave very clear and useful evidence to the court about what he expected should have happened in nineteen ninety seven.
Miss Stevens also said that Sally Layden and her counsel should not be curtailed from making submissions in regards to the conduct of the police investigation. Unfortunately, it's too late to include Alexandra and Glayne's testimony for consideration by the coroner, as the evidence component of the inquest is now closed, but she can recommend New South Wales Police continue investigating Rick Blum in relation to mounting evidence of him being
involved in Marion's disappearance. State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan then wraps up the proceedings.
I'd just like to thank the legal representatives. I would like to thank Sally and her family for your participation. I know it hasn't been easy, but it's much appreciated your participation and involvement. I'd like to thank the investigating offices again for the incredible professionalism and an enormous amount of work put into this case, and my counsel assisting team for their enormous assistance to me.
We will adjourn for.
Findings, which will be delivered at ten am on the thirtieth of November here at Lidcombe.
Before then, we have two more episodes to release, which will include a more in depth look into Rickblum's alleged nefarious activities in Europe and an interview with one of Australia's top detectives who reveals what it takes to crack a decade's old cold case.
When you have these old matters and you think you know you're never going to get a result, just keep going at it. Do not give up, don't let it go because, as we've seen in this matter could have been easily forgotten about and never reserviced again. And follow every lead down a rabbit hole, because you never know what you're going to find.
If you knew Marian or have any information about her or her whereabouts, we'd love to hear from you. Our website is sevenews dot com dot au slash news slash the Lady Vanishers and you can also message us here. You can also send us an anonymous tip at the Lady Vanishes dot org. If you like what you're hearing, don't forget to subscribe, Please rate and review our series.
It helps new listeners find us. Presenter and executive producer Alison Sandy, investigative journalist Brian Seymour, producer and writer Sally Eels. Researcher Joony Condos, sound design Mark Wright, Graphics Jason Blandford. Transcripts and translation Estelle Sanchez. The theme and much of the music by Nicholas Gasparini at the Darkpiano dot com. Thanks again to the Alliance Francis. This is a seven News production.