Deceased
Roy Cecil McLennan
Demographics
70y, male
Coroner
Coroner Kim M. W. Parkinson
Date of death
1972-08-20
Finding date
2011-07-28
Cause of death
unascertained
AI-generated summary
Roy Cecil McLennan, aged 70, disappeared on 20 August 1972 from Middle Park, Victoria after leaving home to visit his niece. He was reported missing in November 1972. Despite extensive police investigations by the Belier Task Force both in Victoria and interstate, he has not been located. At the time of disappearance, Mr McLennan was reported to have cognitive deficits. There has been no activity on his bank accounts or contact with any public authority since his disappearance. Whilst unidentified remains were located at Macedon in December 1972, insufficient evidence supports their association with Mr McLennan. The coroner found Mr McLennan deceased with cause, location, and circumstances of death unable to be ascertained. This case highlights the challenges in investigating missing person cases, particularly in elderly individuals with cognitive impairment, and the importance of thorough documentation and follow-up of potential leads.
AI-generated summary — refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
FORM 37 Rule 60(1)
FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008
Court reference: 698/11
Inquest into the Death of ROY CECIL MCLENNAN
Delivered On: 28 July 2011
Delivered At: Melbourne
Tearmg Dates: 28 July 2011
Findings of: CORONER K M W PARKINSON Place of death/ .
Suspected death: Unascertained
PSCU: Leading Senior Constable King Taylor
lLof3
FORM 37 Rule 60(1)
FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008
Court reference: 698/11 In the Coroners Court of Victoria at Melbourne I, KIM PARKINSON, Coroner having investigated the death of: Details of deceased:
Surname: MCLENNAN
Firstname: ROY
Address: Middle Park, Victoria 3206
AND having held an inquest in relation to this death on 28 July 2011 at Melbourne
find that the identity of the deceased was ROY CECIL MCLENNAN and death occurred on or after 20 August 1972
At an unknown location From wnascertained cause
In the following circumstances:
This is my finding in the inquest into the presumed death of Mr Roy Cecil McLennan. Mr McLennan was born 4 March 1902 and he was last seen on 20 August 1972, when he left his home at Middle Park to visit his niece Mrs Brook in Altona. He was reported missing to police by his niece in November of 1972.
An extensive brief of evidence has been provided to the coroner in this matter, with extensive investigations being undertaken by Victoria Police Belier Task Force, both in Victoria and interstate and enquiries in relation to Mr McLennan, He has not been seen since 20 August 1972 and there has been no activity on bank accounts or with any public authority relating to Mr McLennan. Whilst there is a report that his motor vehicle may have been located in the Gisborne area some months prior to the missing person report being made, there is no documentary record of this matter.
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Mr McLennan was reported to be suffering with a cognitive deficit at around the time he disappeared. His remaining relatives have no knowledge of his whereabouts and have had no contact with him.
Whilst police have raised the possibility that unidentified remains located at Macedon on 4 December 1972 may relate to the death of Mr McLennan, there is insufficient evidence to support this theory. The unidentified remains were the subject of coronial inquest in Case number 4259 of 1972. No application for exhumation has been made by Victoria Police in relation to those remains for the purpose of scientific examination due to the co-location of the remains, In those circumstances, there is insufficient evidence to re-open the 1972 finding or to associate those remains with the disappearance of Mr McLennan.
Having considered the available evidence in this matter, I find that Mr Roy Cecil
McLennan is deceased and that his death occurred on or after 20 August 1972. The cause of death, the location of death and the circumstances of the death, are unable to be ascertained.
Signature:
Kim M W Parkinson Coroner
28th July, 2011
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