Charlotte Foster
Legal

Lynette Dawson's body: the location and the obstacles

Police believe they know the location of Lynette Dawson's body, but say “there is no possible way to search” the area. 

Earlier this week, Justice Ian Harrison SC found former teacher and rugby league player Chris Dawson guilty of the murder of his wife Lynette in 1982.

The 33-year-old nurse was last seen on Friday January 8th, 1982, when she spoke to her mother on the phone. 

She was never seen or heard from again, and her body was never found.

Now, police believe her remains are somewhere in the Central Coast region, just north of Sydney. 

Chris and Lynette lived together in Bayview Heights after they got married, on Sydney’s northern beaches, within easy reach of the Central Coast.

Police dug up that property but Ms Dawson’s remains were not found.

“There was the theory that he travelled to the Central Coast on January 9th,” a police source told The Daily Telegraph

However, the police said there was no evidence that suggested the body was in any particular location of  the Central Coast, which is around 550 square kilometres in size. 

“The problem is that there is a lot of regional bush area between their home and when he went up the coast.

“There is no possible way to search it, it’s so vast,” the source said.

In his marathon five-hour judgment, Justice Harrison said that Dawson had ample time to dispose of his wife’s body as his children were staying with a friend on January 9th. 

No one can vouch for his whereabouts during that time. 

“The Crown case is that (Dawson) used that time to dispose of the body,” Justice Harrison said.

 

Without Dawson himself giving up her resting place, police are doubtful they will be able to find Ms Dawson’s remains. 

The family of Ms Dawson are losing faith that her body will be found. 

“This is a milestone in our journey, however she is still missing,” Lynette’s brother Greg Simms told reporters outside court.

“We would ask Chris Dawson to find it in himself to do the decent thing and allow us to put Lyn to rest.”

Image credits: ABC

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legal, Lynette Dawson, Chris Dawson, body