Deceased
Lisa Joanne Govan
Demographics
28y, female
Coroner
Coroner Jenkin
Date of death
1999-10-08
Finding date
2025-05-13
Cause of death
unascertained
AI-generated summary
Lisa Govan, aged 28, disappeared on 8 October 1999 from Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, after last being seen at approximately 7:30 am standing outside the Club Deroes motorcycle clubhouse compound. She has not been seen or heard from since. The coroner established beyond reasonable doubt that Lisa died on or about 8 October 1999 in the vicinity of Kalgoorlie. However, despite an extensive police investigation spanning 26 years, no admissible evidence of criminality has been uncovered and no charges have been laid. The evidence suggests Lisa was the last person seen in the company of Andrew Edhouse and Trefor Atkinson, both members of Club Deroes. A key issue identified is the code of silence operating within the motorcycle club, which appears to have prevented witnesses from providing complete information to police. The coroner was unable to determine the cause or manner of death, making an open finding. The case illustrates challenges in investigating deaths within closed organisations and the impact of witness reluctance to cooperate with authorities.
AI-generated summary — refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Drugs involved
[2025] WACOR 21 JURISDICTION : CORONER'S COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA ACT : CORONERS ACT 1996 CORONER : Michael Andrew Gliddon Jenkin, Coroner
HEARD : 4 - 8 NOVEMBER 2024, 9 DECEMBER 2024 & 24 APRIL 2025 DELIVERED : 13 MAY 2025 FILE NO/S : CORC 235 of 2017
DECEASED : GOVAN, LISA JOANNE Catchwords: Nil Legislation: Coroners Act 1996 (WA) Cases: Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Counsel Appearing: Ms S. Markham appeared to assist the coroner.
Ms G. Mullins (State Solicitors Office) appeared for the Western Australian Police Force (4 - 8 November 2024 & 9 December 2024).
Ms J. Perera (State Solicitors Office) appeared for the Western Australian Police Force (24 April 2025).
[2025] WACOR 21 Coroners Act 1996 (Section 26(1))
RECORD OF INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH I, Michael Andrew Gliddon Jenkin, Coroner, having investigated the suspected death of Lisa Joanne GOVAN with an inquest held at Perth Coroner’s Court, Court 85, Central Law Court Building, 501 Hay Street, Perth, on 4 - 8 November 2024, 9 December 2024, and 24 April 2025 find that the death of Lisa Joanne GOVAN has been established beyond all reasonable doubt, and the identity of the deceased person was Lisa Joanne GOVAN and that death occurred on or about 8 October 1999 in the vicinity of Kalgoorlie, in the following circumstances: Table of Contents
Lisa Joanne Govan (Lisa)1 was 28-years of age when she was last seen at about 7.30 am on 8 October 1999 standing at the front of the clubhouse compound of the Club Deroes Motorcycle Club in Boulder Road, Kalgoorlie. At the time, Lisa was in the company of Mr Andrew Edhouse (who was a member of Club Deroes), and Mr Trefor Atkinson (who was an associate of Club Deroes). Lisa has not been seen or heard from since.
Mr Timothy Hammel (who was Lisa’s partner at the relevant time) reported Lisa as missing to police on 8 October 1999. However, a police investigation was unable to determine Lisa’s whereabouts.
Since Lisa’s disappearance, Mr Edhouse has been arrested once, and Mr Atkinson has been arrested three times on suspicion of her murder.
Mr Kevin Smith, was also arrested once on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact in relation to Lisa’s death. Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, and Mr Smith were released on each occasion they were arrested, and no one has ever been charged with any offence in relation to Lisa’s disappearance.2
After receiving a letter from Lisa’s parents, the State Coroner wrote to the Commissioner of Police on 16 March 2017, advising she had reasonable cause to suspect that Lisa had died and that her death was a “reportable death”. The State Coroner also directed that Lisa’s suspected death be investigated, and that an inquest be conducted.3,4
Whilst Detective Senior Sergeant Timothy Lines (Officer Lines) was posted to the Special Crime Squad - Homicide, he conducted a review of the available evidence in relation to Lisa’s disappearance. In the report he finalised on 19 October 2023 following his review of the evidence, Officer Lines says that police believe Lisa died at the Club Deroes clubhouse on 8 October 1999.
I held an inquest into the circumstances of Lisa’s disappearance in Perth on 4 - 8 November 2024, 9 December 2024, and 24 April 2025 which was attended by members of Lisa’s family, including her mother.5,6 I acknowledge their attendance, and thank them for their participation in the inquest.
1 At the request of the deceased’s family, Ms Govan was referred to as “Lisa” at the inquest, and in this finding 2 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp37-38 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp53-54 3 Letter - State Coroner to Commissioner of Police (16.03.17) 4 Sections 3, 23(1) & 23(2), Coroners Act 1996 (WA) 5 Letter - State Coroner to Commissioner of Police (16.03.17) 6 Section 23(2), Coroners Act 1996 (WA)
The documentary evidence tendered at the inquest (the Brief) comprised two volumes, and included Officer Lines’ report and statements from numerous witnesses. The inquest focussed on the circumstances of Lisa’s disappearance and the question of whether she is deceased, and the following witnesses gave evidence: a. Detective Senior Sergeant Timothy Lines (Investigating officer);7 b. Mr Ross Edwards;8 c. Mr John Hope;9 d. Mr Benjamin Taulanga;10 e. Ms Rana-Tui Torbett;11 f. Ms Cecily Richards;12 g. Mr Trefor Atkinson;13 h. Mr Kevin Smith;14 i. Mr Michael Heaton;15 j. Mr Raymond Fisher;16 k. Mr Timothy Hammel;17 and l. Mr Andrew Edhouse.18
If, after investigating the circumstances of a suspected death, a coroner finds that the death of the person is established beyond all reasonable doubt, the coroner must also investigate how the death occurred and the cause of death.19
When assessing the available evidence and deciding whether I am able to make any findings about the circumstances of Lisa’s disappearance, I have been mindful of the “Briginshaw principle”. The Briginshaw principle is derived from a High Court judgment of the same name, in which Justice Dixon said: The seriousness of an allegation made, the inherent unlikelihood of an occurrence of a given description, or the gravity of the consequences flowing from a particular finding are considerations which must affect 7 ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp8-61 8 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp65-98 9 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp101-129 10 ts 05.11.24 (Taulanga), pp129-154 11 ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175 12 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp179-197 13 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp198-252 14 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp252-287 15 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp290-306 16 ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp309-348 17 ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), pp351-376 18 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp380-416 19 Section 23(2), Coroners Act 1996 (WA)
[2025] WACOR 21 the answer to the question whether the issue has been proved to the reasonable satisfaction of the tribunal. In such matters “reasonable satisfaction” should not be produced by inexact proofs, indefinite testimony, or indirect inferences.20
In a nutshell, the Briginshaw principle requires that the more serious the allegation, the higher the degree of probability that is required before I can be satisfied as to the truth of that allegation. I applied the Briginshaw principle to my assessment of the evidence relating to Lisa’s disappearance when deciding whether I could make any findings about the circumstances of Lisa’s disappearance and whether she has died.
For reasons I will explain, after carefully considering the available evidence, I have come to the conclusion that Lisa died in Kalgoorlie shortly after she was last seen on the morning of 8 October 1999. However, given the absence of any cogent evidence as to what happened to Lisa after that time, I have been unable to make any findings (to the relevant standard) as to the cause and/or manner of Lisa’s death.
In terms of the format of this finding, I have first provided some information about the Club Deroes Motorcycle Club, and some background details about Lisa. I have then outlined what is known about Lisa’s last movements, before summarising the evidence of witnesses who appeared at the inquest. I then summarised the evidence of witnesses whose statements (or other documents) appear in the Brief. Finally, I have outlined the police investigation into Lisa’s disappearance, and set out my conclusions about her disappearance and death.
Whilst this approach has meant there is a degree of repetition in relation to some aspects of the evidence, I have concluded that for the sake of completeness, this was appropriate and necessary in order to properly outline all of the available evidence.
20 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 per Dixon J at 362
[2025] WACOR 21 CONTEXTUAL ISSUES Club Deroes and the “Code”21
When Lisa was last seen, she was standing outside what was then the premises of the Club Deroes Motorcycle Club (Club Deroes), an outlaw motorcycle club reportedly formed in Perth in the early 1970s. Like other outlaw motorcycle clubs, Club Deroes drapes itself in various trappings intended to connote some form of legitimacy. These trappings include a so called “code of silence” (the Code) which is said to apply to members and associates of Club Deroes.
The Code, which appears to be accorded some reverence by those to whom it applies, and has the practical effect of ensuring that club “business” is never discussed with persons outside of Club Deroes, and certainly never with the police. Club “business” appears to include social and other activities of Club Deroes, including illegal activities.22 Club Deroes Clubhouse23,24
At the relevant time, Club Deroes had a clubhouse (the Clubhouse) which was located in a compound at 142 Boulder Street, Kalgoorlie next to what was then the Foundry Hotel. The Clubhouse (which had previously been a battery business) was housed in a large, lined metal shed that had a bar, gaming machines, and toilets.
In her police statement, Ms Rana-Tui Torbett (who was at the Clubhouse on 8 October 1999) described the interior of the Clubhouse in these terms: When you walk into the Club House, you have a pool table in the middle, a cane sofa with a couple of single sofa chairs. The floor is tiled at the bar area with carpet under the pool table. At the entrance you have “CDMC 1%” in the concrete.25,26,27
The compound in which the Clubhouse was located (the Compound) was surrounded by a two metre high metal fence, and had several smaller metal storage sheds, and a concrete or asphalt “wash pad” area.
21 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p4 22 See for example: ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp390-391 & 414 23 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p4 24 See also: ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp407-408 25 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99), pp3-4 and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp163-165 26 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16.1, Hand drawn map of Clubhouse - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99) 27 See also: ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp299-300
There were large, padlocked metal gates at the front of the Compound on Boulder Street, and an old house which, at the relevant time, was lived in by Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, and their respective girlfriends.28
In one of the statements he gave police, Mr Benjamin Taulanga (who had been to the Clubhouse on a number of occasions, and was there on 8 October 1999) said the bar was “at the far end of the club” and that: As you walk in there is a pool table in the middle of the room, couches along the wall where the entry door is and the toilets are on the other side of the club from the entry door. There is a large television screen on the wall near the entry. The television was on and there was loud music playing, like you would have to lean over to talk to each other.
The main floor was covered with tacky light brown carpet, the area near the bar had light coloured tiles I think. I don't think the floor was painted.29
Two witnesses drew sketch plans of the Clubhouse and the Compound which are consistent with both the descriptions I have set out above, and with police video footage taken at the Clubhouse during the execution of a search warrant on 13 October 1999.30,31,32
At around the time Lisa was last seen, part of the concrete floor in the Clubhouse was covered with a large piece of carpet. The carpet was located under a pool table and was described as “an off-cut” of “industrial carpet” which was about 10 metres square, and either beige, light brown, or dark in colour depending on the witness.33,34,35,36 28 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17) 29 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p6 30 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16.1, Sketch plan of Clubhouse interior - Ms R Torbett (26.10.99) 31 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.7, Sketch map of Compound - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10) 32 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p50 33 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p6 34 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), para 220 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p75 35 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), para 47 36 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 219-221
[2025] WACOR 21 BACKGROUND Lisa37,38
Lisa was born in the United Kingdom on 13 February 1971, and she completed her schooling there in 1987. Lisa and her family came to Australia in 1988, and in 1995, Lisa met Mr Hammel. By 1999, Lisa and Mr Hammel had been living and working in Kalgoorlie for about three years.
In 1999, Mr Hammel was employed as a fitter, a position which required him to do shift work including night shifts. Lisa was employed as a laboratory assistant at Kalgoorlie Assay Laboratories (KAL) and completed her last shift there on 6 October 1999. Lisa’s last timesheet at KAL is marked “not to return”,39 and the evidence before me is that she was dismissed because of concerns about her performance at work.40
There is some evidence before me that in addition to drinking alcohol, Lisa used cannabis, and possibly other illicit drugs.41 However, apart from several witnesses who say they saw Lisa smoking cannabis in the early hours of 8 October 1999, the rest of evidence about Lisa’s supposed drug use is vague hearsay.42,43,44
Several people described Lisa’s relationship with Mr Hammel in negative terms, and say Mr Hammel was “controlling”.45,46,47 However, in a statement she gave to police Lisa’s mother (Ms Govan) says: “I would describe their relationship as good, as far as I knew there were no problems, they have squabbles like everyone else”.48
Either way, as I will explain, the available evidence establishes that at the relevant time, Mr Hammel did not like Lisa going out and socialising alone when he was working night shifts.49,50,51 37 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp8-9 38 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 52, Statement - Ms P Govan (10.11.99) 39 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 3, Timesheet - Ms L Govan (04-06.10.99) 40 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 13, Hand written statement - Mr J Barrett (10.10.99) 41 See for example: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R Torbett (26.10.99), p4 42 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 12, Statement - Mr J Bennet (10.10.99), pp1-2 43 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17), para 79 44 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.1, Email - Det. Sgt C Thomas to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 45 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 46 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 9, Statement - Ms L Brassington (24.11.99) 47 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp3-4 & 12 48 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 52, Statement - Ms P Govan (10.11.99), p1 49 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), pp2-3 50 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 51 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp3-4
[2025] WACOR 21 SUMMARY OF EVENTS LEADING TO LISA’S DISAPPEARANCE52 General observations about the evidence
However, with the exception of Mr Ross Edwards53 (whose evidence I will deal with later in this finding), all of the witnesses who gave statements and/or who gave evidence at the inquest, denied knowing anything about Lisa’s disappearance.54,55,56,57
Some of the evidence of civilian witnesses at the inquest was inconsistent, vague, and/or contradictory. Further, aspects of the evidence of several witnesses at the inquest, and of some of the witnesses whose statements appear in the Brief are difficult to believe.
As might be expected in a case that has attracted so much media attention, there has been a great deal of speculation and rumour about what may have happened to Lisa after she was last seen. I note that despite the fact that much of the evidence about Lisa’s disappearance is vague and uncertain, some of this material has been published in the media as if it were undeniably true. This is very unfortunate as it tends to create a false impression about the cogency of aspects of the available evidence about Lisa’s disappearance, much of which simply cannot be corroborated.
In addition to the years that have passed since Lisa was last seen, the task of trying to determine the truth about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance has been made more difficult by the Code, which as I have mentioned, applies to members and associates of Club Deroes. Several of the witnesses at the inquest, and several of those whose statements appear in the Brief were members or associates of Club Deroes at the relevant time.
Several witnesses acknowledged that the Code prevented them from discussing club “business” with persons who were not members of Club Deroes, including it would seem, this Court.
52 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23) and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp8-61 53 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24 & 24.1-24.3, Statements - Mr R Edwards (14.10.99, 23.10.99, 19.11.02 & 14.10.10) 54 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp101, 123 & 128, ts 05.11.24 (Taulanga), pp129 & 153 and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp155 & 175 55 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), p179, ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp199 & 252; and ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp253 & 287 56 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp290 & 305-306 and ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp309 &342 57 ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), pp351-352 and ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp380 & 416
However, all of the witnesses who gave evidence at the inquest and who were (or still are) members or associates of Club Deroes denied that the Code had affected the way they had given their evidence.58 Notwithstanding these protestations, based on what is known about Lisa’s last movements, some of the witnesses I heard from at the inquest must know more about the circumstances of her disappearance than they were prepared to admit.
The Court has also received extraordinary evidence from two independent persons who each claim to have information relevant to Lisa’s disappearance and subsequent death.59
The first of these individuals (who I will refer to as “ER”) says that after watching a cartoon on the internet as an adult, they recalled that when they were about five years old they had witnessed their father murder Lisa and dismember her body before disposing of her remains.60,61,62,63,64,65,66
Although ER provided detailed statements, including a comprehensive timeline, police do not consider their claims to be credible.67 In addition to insinuating themselves into Lisa’s case, ER also claims to have been present when their father murdered several other persons, but police have been unable to corroborate any of ER’s assertions.
After carefully investigating ER’s claims about Lisa’s disappearance and death, Officer Lines prepared a supplementary report in which he expressed the following conclusion: “Investigators do not consider (ER’s) allegations to be credible and believe that (ER) has fabricated (their) account of events”.68
On 30 August 2024, a second person (who I will refer to as “LR”) told police he had been the victim of a home invasion/robbery. While a detective was taking details of the alleged incident, LR claimed to have been present on the night of 7 October 1999 at what was then the Sandalwood Hotel in Kalgoorlie, and to have witnessed Lisa being violently assaulted there by Mr Edhouse.
58 See for example: ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp117 & 122-123; ts 06.11.24 (Smith), p284 and ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp301 & 305 59 ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp54-56 60 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 62.1, Statement - Witness ER (01.05.23) 61 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 62.2, Witness ER’s Internet Report 309491 62 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 64.3, Witness ER’s List of addresses and vehicles 63 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 64.4, Case management running sheet - Witness ER 64 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 63, Statement - Witness ER (22.10.24) 65 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 64.1, Statement - Witness ER (20.09.24) 66 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 64.2, Document - Abduction and Murder of Lisa Govan (20.09.24) 67 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 62, Supplementary Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (29.10.24), p3 68 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 62, Supplementary Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (29.10.24), p3
LR told police that Lisa was a “junkie” who used methylamphetamine, heroin and cocaine, and that she owed “a lot of money” to Club Deroes. LR claimed that while Lisa and others (including Mr Edhouse) were drinking at the Sandalwood Hotel, Lisa and Mr Edhouse got into an argument about Lisa wanting drugs.69
LR says that Mr Edhouse told Lisa that if she wanted more drugs she would have to “drop her pants”, and that after being told this, Lisa “went off”. LR says Mr Edhouse then pushed Lisa to the ground before kicking her in the head, after which Lisa’s body was taken to the home of a Club Deroes member, where she subsequently died.70
During his interaction with the detective, LR also claimed that a “hitman” from Kalgoorlie was responsible for murdering Ms Corryn Rayney, whose death had occurred in Perth in 2007. The detective taking LR’s statement was of the view that that LR’s assertions were false and that LR: “[A]ppeared to be under the influence of alcohol and suffering from dementia (or) some sort of brain injury or illness”.71
In the early hours of the morning on 10 January 2025, police found LR in a laneway in Kalgoorlie banging on a fence whilst wearing only underpants.
Although LR said he was trying to wake a friend at the premises, it was ascertained LR did not know anyone at the address. Attending police said LR appeared to be “fixated on a lemon tree” at the property, and he was escorted home.72
On 21 January 2025, police conducted a welfare check at LR’s home and discovered LR’s decomposed remains partially in his bathtub. Following an investigation, police did not identify any signs of criminality or third party involvement in relation to LR’s death.73,74
As to LR’s claims about Lisa’s death, I note that a bar steward working at the Sandalwood Hotel on the night of 7 October 1999 (who had previously shared a house with Lisa) made no mention of Lisa having attended the hotel that night when she was spoken to by police.75 69 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.1, Email - Det. Sgt C Thomas to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 70 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.1, Email - Det. Sgt C Thomas to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 71 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.2, Email - Det. Const. Z Arslanoski to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 72 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.2, Email - Det. Const. Z Arslanoski to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 73 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.2, Email - Det. Const. Z Arslanoski to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 74 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.3, P98 - Mortuary Admission Form re Witness LR (21.01.25) 75 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65, Email - Det. Sgt C Thomas to Ms S Markham (28.11.24)
Further, although LR claims he saw Lisa being seriously assaulted on the night of 7 October 1999 and that she subsequently died, Lisa is known to have been alive (and apparently uninjured) at about 7.30 am on 8 October 1999.76
After carefully reviewing LR’s various assertions, police concluded that LR’s account of events on 7 October 1999 is false. The detective who interacted with LR expressed the view that LR’s assertions were related to “deteriorating mental health and combined use of alcohol.77,78
Despite the often conflicting and contradictory evidence before me, I have attempted to set out the circumstances of Lisa’s disappearance as logically and coherently as I can. I have also tried to indicate where the evidence appears beyond doubt, and where the evidence is vague, inconsistent and/or unsupported.
For reasons I will explain, other finding that Lisa is deceased, I have been unable to make any findings (to the relevant standard) as to what happened to Lisa after she was last seen on Boulder Road outside the Compound at about 7.30 am on 8 October 1999.
Lisa’s movements last known movements79,80
In a statement he gave police on 13 October 1999, Mr Hammel says he was working a night shift on 7 October 1999, and got that he out of bed at about 3.00 pm. Mr Hammel also says: Between the time I got out of bed and leaving for work, we didn’t have an argument but I wasn’t happy because Lisa was going out again. She always gets lonely when I’m on night shift. She told me that Paula81 was picking her up and that they were going to Paula’s place to play pool.82
Lisa had cooked a roast dinner that night and after they shared the meal, Mr Hammel left for work at about 6.10 pm, with his night shift starting at 6.30 pm. Sometime after Mr Hammel had left, Lisa caught a taxi to the Kalgoorlie Country Club (the Country Club), where she met Ms Svilicich.83 76 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65, Email - Det. Sgt C Thomas to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 77 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.1, Email - Det. Sgt C Thomas to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 78 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 65.2, Email - Det. Const. Z Arslanoski to Ms S Markham (28.11.24) 79 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp10-52 80 ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp8-61 81 “Paula” is a reference to Ms Ana-Paula Svilicich who is sometimes referred to in the Brief as Ms Ana Paula Da Silva 82 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), p2 83 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), p2
Lisa arrived at the Country Club either around 7.30 pm,84 or sometime after 8.00 pm,85 depending on the witness. Lisa and Ms Svilicich had some drinks at the Country Club and on one version of events, Lisa stayed at the Country Club until about 10.30 pm, when the friend of an associate of Ms Svilicich’s dropped Lisa at another bar called De Bernales at Lisa’s request.86
On another version of events Lisa and Ms Svilicich had some drinks at the Country Cub before Lisa left alone, and went to De Bernales where she was meeting some friends. Ms Svilicich says she left the Country Club at about 10.00 pm and went De Bernales, where she met up with Lisa who was drinking with some workmates.87
Ms Svilicich says that about midnight on 8 October 1999, she, Lisa and “another guy” left De Bernales and went to a Commonwealth Bank ATM on Boulder Road so Lisa could withdraw some money. Ms Svilicich and Lisa then went to the Safari Club (a night club in Kalgoorlie) where they danced and socialised for about an hour. Ms Svilicich says Lisa then told her she “felt uneasy about some people that were there”, and they left and went to the Shaft Bar.88
In his statement, Mr Hammel says at about 12.20 am on 8 October 1999, he called Lisa using his work phone. Lisa said she had been to the Country Club, and he asked: “You are not staying out all night are you?”. Mr Hammel says Ms Svilicich then tried to speak with him, but he “felt shitty” and hung up.89,90
Ms Svilicich says she and Lisa stayed at the Shaft Bar for about an hour, drinking with a “Māori guy and a couple of other blokes”. Ms Svilicich says she was getting tired and was trying to convince Lisa to go home. Ms Svilicich also says she “wanted to do the right thing by (Mr Hammel)” by which she meant she “wanted her (Lisa) to go home and not stay out all night”. However, Ms Svilicich says Lisa “wouldn’t have a bar of it” and wanted to keep “partying”. Ms Svilicich says that just before 2.00 am on 8 October 1999, she dropped Lisa off in front of the Safari Club and watched her walk up the stairs.
Ms Svilicich says she then drove home to Wittenoom Lodge in Boulder (the Lodge) where she was staying, and went to sleep.91 84 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p4 85 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 4, Statement - Mr L Kemp (04.11.99) 86 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 5, Statement - Mr J Delbridge (15.10.99) 87 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p5 88 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p6 89 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), pp2-3 90 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p6 91 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp7-8
After his conversation with Lisa, Mr Hammel says he was hoping she would call him back and when she didn’t, he called her about 30 minutes later but there was no answer. Mr Hammel says after that he tried calling Lisa “on a regular basis” and by about 3.00 am on 8 October 1999, he realised her mobile must have had been switched off because his calls were going straight to Lisa’s “message bank”.92
At about 3.30 am, Mr Hammel left work briefly and rode his motorcycle home to see if Lisa was there. Lisa was not at home and Mr Hammel says he rode to Club V8 in Boulder to check if she was there, but the club was closed.
Mr Hammel says he then returned to work and continued calling Lisa but there was no response, and that: Because I couldn’t get in touch with her I started to leave abusive messages. I rang the phone all morning and throughout the day. I just wanted to get in touch with her.93 [Emphasis added]
At the inquest, Mr Hammel was asked about this aspect of his evidence. He initially claimed he was not sure if the messages he had left Lisa: “would have been that abusive” and that he: “Just would have been more worried about her than anything”. Mr Hammel also said: “I don’t think (the messages) would have been aggressive like that. No”.94
However, after I read out the passage from his statement quoted in paragraph 57 above, I asked Mr Hammel whether those words meant what they said, and his response was: “Okay. Yes. Sorry. All right. If it’s written down there.
Maybe”. Counsel Assisting (Ms Markham) then asked: “So you left some messages clearly saying you weren’t happy” and Mr Hammel said: “Yes”.95
[2025] WACOR 21 Events after the Safari club closed102,103,104,105,106
Grainy black and white close circuit TV footage (CCTV) shows that between 4.26 am and 4.28 am, Lisa and Mr Edhouse had a conversation on the footpath outside the entrance to the Safari Club. At the time, Mr Edhouse was a member of Club Deroes and he was said to be in a relationship with another person.
CCTV footage shows that at 4.29 am, Lisa and Mr Edhouse stood together talking, some distance from the other patrons, before they walked down a laneway at the side of the Safari Club. Once in the laneway, Mr Edhouse and Lisa stood very close together in what appears to have been an embrace. At 4.31 am, CCTV footage shows Mr Atkinson (then an associate of Club Deroes, and a good friend of Mr Edhouse) along with two other men, approach Lisa and Mr Edhouse in the laneway.
Following what appears to be a short conversation with Mr Edhouse and Lisa, Mr Atkinson turns to walk away and as he does so, he appears to strike (or attempt to strike) Lisa’s neck, causing her head to move backwards. At the inquest, Mr Atkinson claimed he was very intoxicated at the time, and although he accepted he may have attempted to assault Lisa in the laneway, he could not recall doing so. At the inquest, Mr Atkinson apologised for his actions, saying he was not proud of his conduct and he was “not that sort of person”.107
In passing, I note that in an unsigned statement witnessed by police on 14 November 2017, Ms Katie Low said that she began a two and a half year relationship with Mr Atkinson in October 1999. Ms Low said that Mr Atkinson was abusive, and he had assaulted her on about eight occasions while they were together, usually when he was intoxicated.108
In any case, CCTV footage shows that as Mr Atkinson was walking off, Lisa appears to throw something at him, which may have been a cigarette butt.
Mr Atkinson then picks up the object and walks back towards Lisa before Mr Edhouse intervenes and Mr Atkinson walks away.
102 CCTV footage - Safari Club (08.10.99) 103 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp6 & 49 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp23-26 104 ts 05.11.24 (Taulanga), pp129-154, ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175, and ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp179-197 105 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp198-252 106 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p49 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp23-26 107 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp215-218 108 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17), paras 36-40
At about 4.33 am, Lisa and Mr Edhouse exit the laneway and return to the footpath in front of the Safari Club where they talk for a few minutes. Lisa then walks off down the street alone and out of the CCTV camera’s view, and moments later she gets into a taxi with two young men and leaves the scene.109
A short time later, Lisa was dropped back at the Safari Club and she told the two young men she was “concerned about her friend”.110 A short time later, Lisa got into another taxi with Ms Nicola Coleman and Mr Atkinson, and the trio were dropped off at the Clubhouse. The taxi driver said the female passengers “appeared happy to go with the male”, and none of the witnesses at the Clubhouse that night mention any tension between Lisa and Mr Atkinson.111
Mr Taulanga (who was working as DJ at the Safari Club) says that he and his then girlfriend Ms Roimata Davis (who is now deceased) dropped Mr Edhouse and Ms Cecily Richards off at the Clubhouse at about 5.00 am, before returning there after dropping Mr Taulanga’s sound equipment off at his home.112 Events at Clubhouse - 8 October 1999113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122
After arriving at the Clubhouse, Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, Lisa and a number of others drank alcohol, listened to music, and played pool. Mr Atkinson was standing behind the Clubhouse bar serving drinks.
At some stage during the early hours of 8 October 1999, Lisa was seen smoking some cannabis, and several witnesses saw her put her arms around Mr Edhouse and place her face close to his as they laughed and chatted.123 In a statement she gave police, Ms Davis says she saw Mr Edhouse “getting fresh” with Lisa in the Clubhouse, and placing his hands under her skirt. Although Lisa did not appear to mind Mr Edhouse’s attentions, Ms Davis says she heard Lisa tell Mr Edhouse “she was married”.124,125 109 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 15, Statement - Mr S Havich (19.10.99) 110 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 15, Statement - Mr S Havich (19.10.99) 111 See for example: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99) and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175 112 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99) 113 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp6-7 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp26-28 114 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 18, 18.1 & 18.2, Statements - Ms N Coleman (13.10.99, 22.10.99 & 12.01.18) 115 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99) 116 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 36, Notes of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (26.10.99) and ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp198-252 117 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 60 & 61, Records of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (02.11.17 & 04.01.18) 118 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 22 & 22.1-2, Statements - Mr B Taulanga (12.10.99, 22.10.99 & 07.11.17) 119 ts 05.11.24 (Taulanga), pp129-154 120 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20, Handwritten notes of conversation - Ms C Richards (14.10.99) 121 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.1, Notes of interview - Ms C Richards (undated) 122 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 20.2 & 20.3, Statements - Ms C Richards (08.11.17 & 14.07.22) and ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp179-197 123Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R Torbett (26.10.99), p4 124 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99) 125 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 18, 18.1 & 18.2, Statements - Ms N Coleman (13.10.99, 22.10.99 & 12.01.18)
Several witnesses say Lisa appeared to be intoxicated at the Clubhouse and that her speech was slurred and she was unsteady on her feet.126,127,128,129 At some point during the morning, Ms Torbett says Lisa told her she had argued with her “boyfriend” earlier that night, and that if he knew she was at the Clubhouse, he would “kill her”.130 However Ms Richards, who says she overheard this conversation, says that in fact Lisa said words to the effect of “She would be in trouble” if her boyfriend knew where she was.131,132
At about 6.15 am on 8 October 1999, Mr Edhouse cut his hand on a stubby he had angrily smashed on the bar after Ms Richards started talking about an exmember of Club Deroes known as “Dingo”. After Mr Edhouse had been given first aid by Ms Richards and/or Ms Davis, his mood appeared to settle and there were no further incidents.133,134,135,136 Last sightings of Lisa137,138
People started leaving the Clubhouse in dribs and drabs from about 6.00 am on 8 October 1999, so that by about 7.30 am, only Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, Lisa, and Mr Patrick Nathan remained. Mr Nathan had fallen asleep on a couch earlier that morning, and remained asleep until he was woken by Mr Atkinson.
Mr Nathan says that by the time he was woken by Mr Atkinson at about 9.30 am, Lisa was no longer there.139
Several witnesses say Lisa was holding or using a mobile phone, and some say she was carrying a shoulder bag. Significantly, none of the witnesses who saw Lisa at the front of the Compound have suggested there was anything untoward about her appearance or behaviour, and there is no evidence that Lisa had sustained any injuries prior to that time.144,145
At about the time Lisa was seen standing on the street in front of the Foundry Hotel, Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson were seen standing on the driveway in front of the Compound. Several witnesses say they saw Mr Atkinson pull down his jeans and expose his buttocks, and that as he did so Lisa walked towards the Compound from the Foundry Hotel.146,147,148
Another witness says she saw Lisa, Mr Edhouse, and Mr Atkinson walk back through the front gates of the Compound (towards the Clubhouse) together.149
In statements he gave police in 2017 and 2018, and at the inquest Mr Raymond Fisher says that at about 7.00 am on 8 October 1999, he was driving towards Kalgoorlie on the “bypass” road that runs parallel to Boulder Road, when he saw Lisa (who was a passenger on a motorcycle ridden by Mr Billy Grierson) being dropped off at the Foundry Hotel. At the time, Mr Grierson was a patched member of the Gypsy Jokers Outlaw Motorcycle Club, and Mr Fisher says he had known Mr Grierson since they “were kids knocking about in Melbourne”.150,151
At the inquest Mr Hammel agreed that although he and Lisa knew Mr Grierson, he did not believe Mr Fisher’s account which he described as “an extraordinary story”.152 I note that Mr Fisher is the only witness who says Mr Grierson dropped Lisa off near the Clubhouse, and that Mr Grierson cannot be asked about truth or otherwise of Mr Fisher’s claims because he (Mr Grierson) was shot dead in Ora Banda on 1 October 2000.153 144 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 26, Statement - Ms H Hill (16.10.99) 145 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 28, Statement - Mr T Roberts (01.11.99) 146 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 84-102 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp70-71 147 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 26, Statement - Ms H Hill (16.10.99) 148 See also: ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), p225 149 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 26, Statement - Ms H Hill (16.10.99) 150 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 30 & 30.1, Statements - Mr R Fisher (04.04.03 & 07.11.17) 151 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.2, Sketch map - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17) 152 ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), p372 153 Beven S, ‘Court in the Act: The terrifying fallout after the murder of Gypsy Joker Billy Grierson in Ora Banda’, The West Australian (09.02.24)
[2025] WACOR 21 Mr Hammel confronts Ms Svilicich154
When Ms Svilicich asked who it was, a male voice said “Tim”, and when she opened the door she recognised Mr Hammel, who was “very aggressive”.155
He did not have any fresh injuries or marks on his face. I tried not to react and stay calm because I had such a terrible feeling about this guy.
I was terrified.156
After Mr Hammel had left the Lodge, Ms Svilicich says she called Lisa’s mobile, but the call went to MessageBank. Ms Svilicich says she left a message for Lisa telling her “she had a psycho of a boyfriend and that he had just come to my room and told me I was bad news and that I was dead”. Mr Svilicich says she was so frightened by the encounter that she changed rooms at the Lodge.157
Ms Svilicich says that about 10.00 am, the cook at Lodge (i.e.: the Lodge chef, Mr Nasir Ali, who is now deceased) told her to go to her room as he had seen Mr Hammel arrive at the Lodge. Ms Svilicich says she heard “screaming and carrying on” and that Mr Ali later told her that it was Mr Hammel. At about 11.00 am, Ms Svilicich says she heard a motorcycle arrive at the Lodge, and she hid in her room. Ms Svilicich also says Mr Ali later told her that Mr Hammel had “kicked in the door to Room 30”, which was her original room.158
Later that day, Mr Ali told Ms Svilicich that Mr Hammel had returned to the Lodge with his motorcycle on the back of a tow truck. Mr Hammel said he had been in an accident and he had blood on his face. Mr Ali told Ms Svilicich that Mr Hammel wanted her to call him.159 154 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99) 155 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp8-9 156 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p9 157 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p9 158 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp9-10 159 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p10
Ms Svilicich says at some point she rang Lisa’s mobile again, but the call wasn’t answered and she left another message about Mr Hammel’s behaviour and warned Lisa “to be careful” because she thought Mr Hammel might hurt her.160
Ms Svilicich says Mr Hammel called her twice and left messages, and that when she called him back he asked her where Lisa was, and also where a person called “Dave” was. Ms Svilicich says she told Mr Hammel she didn’t know where Lisa was and “couldn’t help him”. Ms Svilicich says that although Mr Hammel was worried that Dave may have “got hold of Lisa” she told him this was unlikely because Dave had left Kalgoorlie “maybe three months ago”.161
Ms Svilicich explained that Dave used to live at the Lodge and that “months ago” Lisa had told her that Dave had offered her a job before taking her for a drive to “an imaginary gold mine”. Lisa told Ms Svilicich that during the drive, which lasted “a couple of hours”, Dave had behaved in a “sexually suggestive” manner and had made comments “about her body from the waist down”. Lisa told Ms Svilicich she eventually told Dave to take her home, which he did, and that although he “was being sleazy” he did not touch her.162
I note that Mr Hammel did not mention his visits to the Lodge in his police statement, and at the inquest, although he said he couldn’t recall going there, he accepted he had done so.163 In any case as I will explain later, police must have been aware of Mr Hammel’s visits to the Lodge, because they warned him to stop trying to contact Ms Svilicich when they spoke with him at about 3.00 pm on 10 October 1999.164 Events after Lisa’s disappearance165,166,167,
As I explain in more detail later, there is evidence before me (from Mr Fisher) that on the morning of 8 October 1999, Mr John Hope (who became a patched member of Club Deroes in 2000) received a call from someone saying that “something bad” had occurred at the Clubhouse and that his (i.e.: Mr Hope’s) white tray-back Landcruiser (the Landcruiser) was needed “ASAP”.
160 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p10 161 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp10-11 162 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p11 163 ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), pp368-369 164 See: Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 51, Statement - FC Const. K Bell (30.10.99), p2 165 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 30, 30.1 & 30.3-30.4, Statements - Mr R Fisher (04.04.03, 07.11.17, 06.02.18 &10.08.22) 166 ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp309-348 167 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.2, Diagram of Clubhouse compound - Mr R Fisher
In his statements to police in 2017 and 2018, Mr Fisher says he and Mr Hope drove the Landcruiser to the Compound where they were met by Mr Atkinson, Mr Edhouse and Mr Mick Heaton. Mr Fisher says he and Mr Hope were not permitted to go the Clubhouse and that the Landcruiser keys were handed over.
Mr Fisher says the Landcruiser was driven away by Mr Heaton and that Mr Atkinson was in the front passenger seat. Mr Fisher says sometime later Mr Heaton and Mr Atkinson returned in the Landcruiser, and that he (Mr Fisher) was given the vehicles keys. Mr Fisher says he then drove the Landcruiser back to Mr Hope’s place, and sometime later, Mr Hope called Mr Fisher and told him to wash the Landcruiser, meaning to hose the vehicle’s exterior and rear tray, which Mr Fisher says he did.
The police theory was that the Landcruiser had been used to dispose of Lisa’s remains after she had died in the Clubhouse, and that it was subsequently cleaned and disposed of to avoid it disclosing any forensic evidence. However, Mr Hope, Mr Heaton and Mr Atkinson all dispute Mr Fisher’s evidence, and all three men deny having any knowledge of the circumstances of Lisa’s death and/or of being involved in the disposal of her remains.168,169,170,171,172,173
At the inquest, Mr Hope said he could not recall having told Mr Fisher that something had happened at the Clubhouse and/or that the Landcruiser was needed there. Mr Hope said his recollection was that Mr Fisher had driven him to the Compound in the Landcruiser so that he (Mr Hope) could collect a Ford Falcon Mr Hope says he had left there the previous night.174
Mr Hope also said he “absolutely” did not tell Mr Fisher to wash the Landcruiser, which Mr Hope described as a “bunky” vehicle, saying he could not recall the Landcruiser ever having been washed. When challenged about this evidence at the inquest, Mr Hope said he could have asked Mr Fisher to wash the Landcruiser, but he otherwise denied any knowledge of Lisa’s death and/or the disposal of her remains.175 168 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37, Notes of conversation - Mr J Hope (27.10.99) and ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp101-129 169 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.1, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr J Hope (31.10.17) 170 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.2, Viper Running Sheet - Mr J Hope (31.10.22) 171 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 36, Notes of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (26.10.99) and ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp198-252 172 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 60 & 61, Records of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (02.11.17 & 04.01.18) 173 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp290-306 174 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp101-129 175 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp101-129
I have set out the competing accounts in relation to whether Mr Hope’s Landcruiser was at the Compound on 8 October 1999 in the sections of this finding dealing with the evidence of Mr Hope,176 Mr Heaton,177 and Mr Fisher.178 Like the evidence of other witnesses at the inquest, the evidence of Mr Hope, Mr Heaton, and Mr Fisher has been adversely affected by the passage of time. Nevertheless, after carefully considering their competing accounts, I have concluded that I prefer Mr Fisher’s version of events.
Mr Fisher gave four statements to police, three of which contain inconsistent versions of events. Nevertheless, although Mr Fisher’s evidence is not entirely reliable, his evidence about the Landcruiser being at the Compound is partly corroborated by Detective First Class Constable Doug Stjepic (Officer Stjepic).
Officer Stjepic who says he noticed a “white tray back 4WD” he believed belonged to Mr Hope parked near the fence/gate at the front of the Compound when he (Officer Stjepic) stopped there and spoke with several people on the morning of 8 October 1999.179,180 The evidence of Officer Stjepic is inconsistent with Mr Hope’s version of account, who claims the Landcruiser was only at the Compound briefly on the morning of 8 October 1999, when Mr Fisher dropped him off to collect the vehicle Mr Hope had left there the night before.181,182
As I have concluded that Mr Fisher’s version of events is the more reliable one, it follows that I do not accept Mr Hope’s assertion he did not tell Mr Fisher the Landcruiser needed to be taken to the Compound on the morning of 8 October 1999. I also do not accept Mr Hope’s assertion that he did not tell Mr Fisher to wash the Landcruiser later that day.
In my view, Mr Hope’s evidence on both of these issues was unreliable and selfserving, and as I have noted, Mr Hope’s version of events is inconsistent (at least in part) with the observations of Officer Stjepic.
Contrary to Mr Hope’s denials, I find that the Landcruiser was taken to the Compound on the morning of 8 October 1999, and that later Mr Fisher used a hose to wash the vehicle’s exterior and rear tray as Mr Hope had told him to do.
176 See: the section of this finding dealing with Mr Hope’s evidence, pp37-40 177 See: the section of this finding dealing with Mr Heaton’s evidence, p55 178 See: the section of this finding dealing with Mr Fisher’s evidence, pp56-61 179 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31, Statement - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (13.02.18) 180 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31.1, Statement - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (17.05.18) 181 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31, Statement - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (13.02.18) 182 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31.1, Statement - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (17.05.18)
In my view, it is highly suspicious the Landcruiser was taken to the Clubhouse on the morning of 8 October 1999, and that the vehicle’s exterior and rear tray were later washed out, particularly as this all occurred on the morning Lisa was last seen. I am also aware of the police theory that the Landcruiser was taken to the Compound so that it could be used to dispose of Lisa’s remains, and that the vehicle was later cleaned to conceal that fact.
However, on the basis of the available evidence I have been unable to make any finding (to the relevant standard) as to why the Landcruiser was taken to the Compound on 8 October 1999, and/or why it was later cleaned. I am therefore unable to ascribe any sinister motive to these facts.
Removal of carpet from the Clubhouse
As noted, at around the time Lisa was last seen part of the concrete floor in the Clubhouse was covered with a large piece of carpet. However, shortly after Lisa was last seen, a section of the carpet adjacent to the pool table was cut out and disposed of, and the concrete floor beneath the removed section of carpet was painted.183,184,185,186,187
The Court has been provided with no credible explanation for why this section of carpet was removed and/or when, how, and where it was disposed of. In my view, the timing of the carpet’s removal and the failure of any witness to explain why this was done, is highly suspicious. As I will explain in more detail later in this finding, Mr Edwards claims that on 8 October 1999, his then employer (Mr Kevin Smith) told him he had just witnessed Mr Edhouse jump on Lisa’s head as she was lying on the floor near the pool table.188
It is therefore possible a section of carpet near the pool table was removed (and the concrete floor underneath painted) to conceal forensic evidence related to Lisa. However, other than Mr Edwards’ hearsay account (which is denied by Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, and Mr Smith) there is no evidence that the alleged assault by Mr Edhouse occurred. Further, forensic testing at the Clubhouse in October 1999 and in 2017 failed to locate anything of relevance.189,190,191,192,193 183 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 46-50 184 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 63-67 185 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p50 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), p47 186 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 284-288 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp88-91 187 See also: ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp408-409 188 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 204-209 189 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24 & 24.1-24.3, Statements - Mr R Edwards (14.10.99, 23.10.99, 19.11.02 & 14.10.10) 190 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24.4-24.7, Sketch maps of Compound - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10) and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp65-98 191 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.8, Letter - Mr R Edwards (received by the Kalgoorlie Detectives office on 10.11.02) 192 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 25 & 25.1-25.2, Statements - Mr K Smith (14.10.99, 28.10.99 & 2018 - unsigned/undated) 193 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp252-287
I accept that it is entirely possible that there is an innocent explanation for why a section of carpet was removed from the Clubhouse. However, the carpet’s removal at or around the time of Lisa’s disappearance has left me with an uneasy feeling about this aspect of the evidence.
However, uneasy feelings aside, in the absence of any corroborative evidence, including any forensic evidence, I have been unable make any finding (to the relevant standard) linking the removal and disposal of a piece of carpet from the Clubhouse to Lisa’s disappearance.
Lisa is reported missing194
As I will outline in more detail later in this finding, Lisa was first reported missing to police by Mr Hammel at about 5.00 pm on 8 October 1999, after he had made various attempts to locate her. Although police issued an alert at around this time, the police investigation into Lisa’s disappearance did not begin until Mr Hammel telephoned the Kalgoorlie police station again at about 3.00 am on 9 October 1999.195
Understandably, the initial police investigation focussed on trying to locate Lisa, and this explains why forensic testing at the Clubhouse did not occur until 13 October 1999. By that time, it was suspected that Lisa may have met with foul play, and a search warrant was executed at the Clubhouse, and at Lisa and Mr Hammel’s home, and forensic tests were undertaken at both locations.
Unfortunately, by 13 October 1999 a section of carpet had been removed from the Clubhouse, and the floor underneath had been painted. This may therefore have meant that any potential forensic evidence was undetectable, especially given the state of forensic science in 1999.196
Whilst it is easy to be critical of past events, I must be careful not to insert any hindsight bias into my assessment of the actions of police in the immediate aftermath of Lisa’s disappearance. Hindsight bias is the well-known tendency after an event, to assume that the event (or in this case the appropriate focus for the police investigation into Lisa’s disappearance) was more predictable or foreseeable than it actually was at the time.197 194 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p8 195 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), p1 196 See also: ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp58-59 197 Dillon H and Hadley M, The Australasian Coroner’s Manual (2015) p10
Any assessment of the police investigation into Lisa’s disappearance necessarily takes place against the backdrop not only of her disappearance (which was known at the time), but also the fact that after 8 October 1999, Lisa was never to be seen alive again. That fact was not known, and could not have been known at the relevant time.
In that context, the fact that it took the police several days to shift their focus from investigating Lisa’s disappearance as if she were a missing person, to investigating her possible murder is understandable.
Further, whilst it is true that with the benefit of hindsight it is unfortunate that forensic testing was not conducted at the Clubhouse until 13 October 1999, in my view it is difficult to conclude that this demonstrates any significant dereliction of duty on behalf of the Police.
However, what remains is the tantalising prospect that had forensic testing been conducted prior to the removal of a piece of carpet from the Clubhouse (or at least shortly thereafter), it is at least possible such testing may have yielded clues relevant to Lisa’s ultimate fate.
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST198 Overview
During the inquest I heard from the Officer Lines, and 11 civilian witnesses all of whom had some connection to either Lisa, Club Deroes and/or the Clubhouse.
Several of the witnesses who have evidence at inquest were (or still are are) members or associates of Club Deroes. Others were present in the Clubhouse at the relevant time and therefore witnessed at least some of Lisa’s last known movements.
In the section of the finding that follows, I have summarised the evidence of each of the civilian witnesses who appeared at the inquest. In the absence of any more sensible arrangement, I have chosen to present these evidence summaries in the order in which the witness appeared at the inquest.
198 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23) and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp8-61
[2025] WACOR 21 Ross Edwards199,200,201,202
Mr Edwards gave two statements to police in 1999, and one in 2002 after he was identified as the author of an “anonymous” letter he had sent to police.
Mr Edwards also made a further statement to police in 2010, and his evidence at the inquest was broadly consistent with that statement.203
In his 2010 statement, Mr Edwards said he had not told “the total truth” in his previous statements because he was scared that if he did so, he “would end up dead”. At the inquest, Mr Edwards said that his conscience was getting the better of him and he thought it was time “Lisa’s family had some closure or something”.204,205
In his 2010 statement, Mr Edwards says that between 7.00 am and 7.30 am on 8 October 1999, Mr Smith picked him up from his home in a “white Holden Rodeo Ute” (the Ute). Mr Edwards says they then drove back to Mr Smith’s house where Mr Edwards got into Mr Smith’s work truck, before he and Mr Smith then drove their respective vehicles to the jobsite they were working on in Burt Street, Boulder.
Mr Edwards says that when they arrived at the jobsite, the gates were locked and no one was about, so after parking the work truck he got into the Ute with Mr Smith. In his various statements, Mr Edwards says he and Mr Smith then drove to the Clubhouse, to either collect a staple gun (which had been left there following some work they had done on the Clubhouse), and/or because Mr Smith had received a phone call from Mr Atkinson.206,207
Either way, Mr Edwards says he and Mr Smith drove to the compound in the Ute, and when they arrived at about 8.00 am, Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson were standing in the Compound driveway “mucking around play fighting”.
Mr Edwards says Mr Atkinson approached the driver’s side of the Ute and asked Mr Smith if he had any “charlie”, which Mr Edwards says he understood to be a reference cocaine.208 199 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24 & 24.1-24.3, Statements - Mr R Edwards (14.10.99, 23.10.99, 19.11.02 & 14.10.10) 200 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24.4-24.7, Sketch maps of Compound - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10) and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp65-98 201 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.8, Letter - Mr R Edwards (received by the Kalgoorlie Detectives office on 10.11.02) 202 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp21-24 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp50-53 203 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp65-98 204 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 5-8 205 See also: ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp69-70 & 74 206 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24 & 24.1-24.3, Statements - Mr R Edwards (14.10.99, 23.10.99, 19.11.02 & 14.10.10) 207 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp70 & 78 208 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 10-73 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p70
Mr Edwards also says Mr Smith told Mr Atkinson that he (Mr Atkinson) “didn’t look like he needed any”, and that both Mr Atkinson and Mr Edhouse “were pissed”. Mr Edwards says Mr Smith spoke with Mr Atkinson and Mr Edhouse for about 10 minutes and that as Mr Smith was reversing the Ute onto Boulder Road, he (Mr Edwards) saw a woman (who he later identified as Lisa) standing in front of the Foundry Hotel (which was partly owned by Mr Smith, and which was then next door to the Clubhouse).209
Lisa was standing alone wearing a black skirt, and looked as if she was putting a mobile phone to her ear. As Mr Smith drove off, Mr Edwards says he saw Mr Atkinson pull his jeans down and give them “a brown eye” meaning he displayed his bare buttocks. Mr Edwards says Mr Smith then drove to a deli and bought some items, before driving to his (Mr Smith’s) house. As they drove past the Clubhouse again at about 8.15 am, Mr Edwards says Lisa was standing in the driveway to the Compound. When they got to Mr Smith’s home, Mr Edwards says Mr Smith went inside for a few minutes before returning to the vehicle with a small clip seal bag containing white powder, which Mr Edwards assumed was cocaine.210
Mr Edwards says that Mr Smith (who “was one of the biggest drug dealers in Kalgoorlie”) placed the clip seal bag in the Ute’s centre console before driving back to the Compound, arriving there at about 8.40 am or 8.45 am. Mr Edwards says when they arrived at the Compound, Mr Atkinson was standing in the Compound driveway by himself. Mr Edhouse was standing to the left of the driveway and Lisa was standing in front of Mr Edhouse leaning on a fence facing the road.211,212
Mr Edwards says that from the way Mr Edhouse was standing, it looked to him as if Mr Edhouse was “trying to crack on to” Lisa, who was giggling and smiling and did not look “distraught or anything like that”. Mr Edwards says Mr Atkinson walked up to the driver’s side of the Ute and put his hand inside the vehicle just below the bottom edge of the window. As he did so, Mr Smith handed him the clip seal bag, and although no money changed hands, this was not unusual.213,214 209 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 75-88 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p70 210 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 89-125 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp70-73 211 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 126-139 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp71-73 212 See also: ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), p388 213 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 140-152 214 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp71-73 & 79-80
Mr Edwards says although Mr Atkinson was talking, he was “slurring” and Mr Edwards could not understand what he was saying. Mr Atkinson then placed one end of a set of plastic handcuffs on his left wrist before attaching the other end to the Ute’s driver’s side mirror bracket. As Mr Smith reversed the Ute out of the driveway, Mr Edwards says Mr Atkinson “just stood in one spot” and the plastic chain of the handcuffs broke.215
A short time after they drove off, Mr Edwards says Mr Smith realised they had not collected the staple gun, and said they needed to go back. Mr Edwards says he and Mr Smith returned to the Compound to collect the staple gun at about 9.00 am. At the inquest Mr Edwards said he and Mr Smith went to the Compound three times that morning, Mr Smith says they only went twice.216,217
In any case, Mr Edwards says when they arrived there was no one standing out the front of the Compound, and the gates were shut. Mr Edwards says he and Mr Smith opened the gates, which were not locked, and they walked to the front door of the Clubhouse. Loud music was playing, and Mr Edwards says Mr Smith knocked on the door and yelled out for Mr Edhouse. Mr Edwards says there was a “caged door” behind the Clubhouse entry door and Mr Edhouse came to the door “pretty much straight away”. Mr Edwards says he was standing about three metres behind and to the left of Mr Smith.218
Mr Edwards says when Mr Edhouse appeared he gave Mr Edwards a “cold stare” which Mr Edwards took to mean that Mr Edhouse did not want him around. Mr Edwards says that he walked over to a small garden shed “on the other side of the yard” and looked inside for the staple gun which wasn’t there, before he “walked along the fence and had a smoke”.219
Mr Edwards says Mr Smith didn’t go into the Clubhouse, which he thought was strange, and that he (Mr Edwards) kept looking towards Mr Smith to see if he was ready to go. Mr Edwards says he walked over to a “wash down pad for cars” and at one stage when he looked towards Mr Smith, he saw Mr Edhouse “take off from inside the cage door into the Clubhouse”. Although he was standing about 30 metres away, Mr Edwards says he had a clear view of the Clubhouse door, although he could only see a couple of metres inside.220,221 215 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 149 & 153-157 216 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 158-161 217 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp80 and ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp267-271 218 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 162-176 219 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 177-183 220 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 184-192 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp80-82 221 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 24.4 & 24.7, Sketch maps of Compound - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10)
Mr Edwards also said that after the staple gun had been handed over to Mr Smith: I did notice that Crowy had sort of ran off again, and, you know later came back again, but he didn’t have anything, he wasn’t getting anything…took off from the door again, don’t know what for, and then came back to the door again.222
At the inquest, Mr Edwards says that after Mr Edhouse had “ran off” and returned to the Clubhouse door for the second time, he (Mr Edhouse) and Mr Smith spoke for about five minutes. Mr Edwards noticed nothing unusual about Mr Smith, and there is no evidence Mr Smith made any visible reaction while speaking with Mr Edhouse.223 Mr Edwards says that about 10 to 15 minutes after they arrived at the Compound, he and Mr Smith walked back to the Ute in order to leave.224
Mr Edwards says as they walked back to the Ute Mr Smith had the staple gun in his hand. Although in his statements Mr Edwards says he didn’t see where Mr Smith he had obtained the staple gun from, at the inquest Mr Edwards says he saw Mr Edhouse give the staple gun to Mr Smith after returning to the Clubhouse door the first time. After they got into the Ute, Mr Edwards says Mr Smith started talking about the girl they had seen at the front of the Compound, who Mr Edwards said he believed was Lisa.225
In his 2010 statement Mr Edwards claims Mr Smith said (in relation to Lisa): [S]he was lying down in the Clubhouse on the floor. He said she was just laying there not moving, in a bad way, not looking good at all” [Emphasis added].226
Mr Edwards says after Mr Smith made these remarks he (Mr Edwards) was “sort of speechless” and that he started to feel light headed and knew “something bad had happened”.227 222 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p82 223 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp83-84 & 97-98 224 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), para 194 225 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 200-201 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p82 226 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 201-203 227 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 204-205
In his 2010 statement, Mr Edwards also says that: (Mr Smith) said while he was talking to (Mr Edhouse), (Mr Edhouse) ran off and jumped on her head. I didn’t say anything to (Mr Smith) at that stage, I didn’t see anything, I didn’t even hear anything. I can’t remember what I was thinking then. When (Mr Smith) was speaking there was like a panic in his voice, I knew something was wrong.228 [Emphasis added]
Mr Edwards says that after they left the Compound, Mr Smith dropped him off at the Burt Street jobsite, saying he need to speak with Mr Heaton. Mr Edwards says he knew Mr Heaton as Mr Smith’s “best mate” and that although Mr Heaton was associated with Club Deroes he was not a “patched” member.
In his statement, Mr Edwards also says he considered Mr Smith was “pretty much a patched member without the patch” and that he (Mr Smith) was “pretty tight with Club Deroes”.229
Mr Edwards says Mr Smith told him they would “have to sort their stories out later in the day” because the police would “pull them in for questioning”. After finishing work for the day, Mr Edwards says Mr Smith drove him to “the old go-cart track at the end of Burt Street”, and they walked about 50 metres into the bush as Mr Smith “was always paranoid about his Ute being bugged by police because of all his drug dealing”. Mr Edwards says Mr Smith said that Mr Atkinson was sitting at the bar and “didn’t do anything to stop Crowy jumping on her head”.230
Mr Edwards says the Hilux was often used by Club Deroes members and although the body of the Hilux was “dirty and unwashed” as usual, the rear tray “looked like it had been hosed out and was pretty clean” and rubbish like empty cans had been removed. Mr Edwards says the vehicle’s spare tyre was in the rear tray and had dirt on it, as if it had been removed before the rear tray had been hosed off.232,233
Mr Edwards said when Mr Smith arrived he asked him why he didn’t clean the rest of Hilux and “had missed a bit”. Mr Smith said he hadn’t cleaned it and that “the fellas used it over the weekend”. Mr Edwards said that when Mr Smith used the term “fellas” he was usually talking about Club Deroes members, and that is who Mr Edwards assumed he was referring to. Mr Edwards also says Mr Smith said: “they just wanted to move some carpet and tables and stuff” and that Mr Smith didn’t say “where the stuff was being moved from” and he (Mr Edwards) did not ask “because it wasn’t any of my business to know”.234
At the inquest, Mr Edwards was asked why he had not mentioned the Hilux until his third statement in 2002, and further why he had not referred to the Hilux having been cleaned until his fourth statement in 2010.235 Mr Edwards said the fact that the Hilux had been cleaned “didn’t come to mind” at the time of his 2002 statement, and he denied that he was embellishing his story.236
As to why he thought the Hilux was important, at the inquest Mr Edwards said: I have a feeling that just - something I feel that that (i.e.: the Hilux) got used to move Lisa’s body from the clubhouse to wherever she is now…And I can’t think of a reason why the back of the ute would have been clean - washed out.237
In his 2010 statement, Mr Edwards says that about one week later police approached him and Mr Smith, and Mr Edwards says he gave statements to the police “like what I had discussed with (Mr Smith)”.238 232 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 275-283 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp90-91 233 At the inquest, Mr Smith said the Hilux did not have a spare tyre: ts 06.11.24 (Smith), p260 234 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 284-288 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp88-91 235 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp96-97 236 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp96-97 237 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p96 238 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 289-290
Mr Edwards also says: I was scared and worried about my own safety after what happened to (Lisa). I don’t know what they would have done to me. I was living in Kalgoorlie and working for (Mr Smith). The Deroes and (Mr Smith) aren’t the sort of people you double cross.239
Mr Edwards also claims at about 7.00 am one morning in early June 2001, Mr Smith came up to him at the Foundry Hotel (where Mr Edwards was working), and accused him of breaking into his (Mr Smith’s) house and stealing money. Mr Edwards says he told Mr Smith this wasn’t true.240
At the inquest, Mr Edwards said that at around this time he was living in his mother’s boarding house, which was not far from Mr Smith’s house. In his 2010 statement, Mr Edwards says Mr Smith would lend him money whenever he asked, but that Mr Smith accused him of stealing money. Mr Edwards says Mr Smith then “took a couple of swings with his fists which didn’t connect” and told him to wait at the Foundry Hotel because he was going to get Mr Heaton and they would come back and see him (i.e.: Mr Edwards).241
Mr Edwards says he was aware Mr Heaton was Mr Smith’s “muscle” and he knew Mr Heaton “was going to try and give me a hard time or touch me up with his fists”. Mr Edwards says he “wasn’t going to hang around and wait for (Mr Heaton) to beat him up” and he “took off” back to the boarding house where he was living. Mr Edwards says about an hour later, Mr Smith and Mr Heaton came to the boarding house, and that Mr Heaton hit him over the head several times with a bottle of tomato sauce.242
Mr Edwards claims Mr Heaton told him “not to say anything about anything that’s gone on or they would come back and get me”. Mr Edwards says he knew Mr Heaton was talking about Lisa and meant that the Club Deroes “would get me if I said anything”. Mr Edwards says he sold some personal items and purchased a bus ticket to Perth, and that he hadn’t seen Mr Smith, Mr Heaton, or “any of the Deroes” since.243 239 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 291-293 240 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 294-297 241 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 298-303 and ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), p91 242 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 298-308 243 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 24.3, Statement - Mr R Edwards (14.10.10), paras 309-318
At the inquest, Mr Edwards said that the interaction he had with Mr Heaton in June 2001, was the first occasion he had ever been threatened.244 Nevertheless, despite the interaction Mr Edwards says he had with Mr Heaton, on 10 November 2002, Kalgoorlie detectives received an unsigned letter which urged police to reopen their investigation into Lisa’s disappearance.245
Police quickly identified Mr Edwards as the author of the “anonymous” letter, which includes the following words: I cannot go on knowing who killed her and who took her body out bush.
Just because they are bikie scum. I was run out of town due to this incident and my life is ruined. I write this not only for a reward but to put her parents to rest and let them know she was killed for no reason.
So please interview everyone again because I promise you will learn the truth. (I still remember that day as if it were yesterday).246
So, yes, I wrote the letter. I tried to write it anonymously and, yes, it all came rushing back when the police showed up, wanted statements and all that again.247
A second issue is that at the inquest, Mr Edwards confirmed that he was about 30 m from the Clubhouse door when he says Mr Smith was speaking with Mr Edhouse. Nevertheless, Mr Edwards claims to have had an unimpeded view of Mr Edhouse running off and returning to the Clubhouse door, notwithstanding the fact that Mr Smith was standing in front of the door.
Mr Edwards also says he saw Mr Edhouse run away from the Clubhouse door on two occasions. The first was when he fetched the staple gun and gave it to Mr Smith, and the second was when Mr Edhouse allegedly assaulted Lisa. On Mr Edwards’ account, when Mr Edhouse returned to the Clubhouse door the second time, he had just “jumped” on Lisa head as she lay on the floor near the pool table. Nevertheless, Mr Smith - who had apparently just witnessed this appalling act - said nothing, and showed no apparent reaction. Further Mr Smith and Mr Edhouse continued chatting (apparently normally) for about another five minutes.249
A further issue relates to the Code I have referred to. In this case, Mr Edwards says he regarded Mr Smith as being a “patched member” of Club Deroes even though he wasn’t patched. Mr Smith would therefore have felt himself bound by the Code, and would not have discussed Club Deroes “business” with any person not associated with Club Deroes.
In those circumstances, I must consider how likely it is that Mr Smith would have blurted out what he had allegedly just witnessed to Mr Edwards (who was not a Club Deroes member) particularly something which implicated Club Deroes members in criminal offences. As I have noted, on Mr Edwards’ version of events, Mr Smith blurted out having just seen Mr Edhouse seriously assault (and/or possibly murder) Lisa as he and Mr Smith were driving away from the Compound, and later (at a jobsite) Mr Smith told him Lisa had died.
I must also consider Mr Edwards’ evidence that Mr Smith was paranoid that his vehicle was bugged by police, and for that reason, Mr Smith insisted he and Mr Edwards go 50 m into the bush before discussing what they would tell police. In any case, while all of these factors cast doubt on the veracity of Mr Edwards’ account, his evidence is clearly extraordinary, and it is difficult to believe that Mr Edwards would simply invent such a story.
249 ts 04.11.24 (Edwards), pp97-98
Further, the fact that Mr Edwards faced the real possibility of being assaulted (or worse) if he divulged what he had been told by Mr Smith to the police, tends to suggest his account may be truthful.
Nevertheless, taking Mr Edwards’ evidence at its highest, what it amounts to is a hearsay account of what Mr Smith allegedly witnessed. Even if Lisa was assaulted in the manner Mr Edwards claims Mr Smith told him she was, it is unclear (on that version of events) whether Lisa was actually alive when the alleged assault occurred, or whether she may have died earlier from some other cause, including for example an unintentional drug overdose.
Ultimately, the police and later the Office of the DPP concluded (correctly in my view) that Mr Edwards’ uncorroborated hearsay evidence would not be sufficient to charge either Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, or Mr Smith with any criminal offence. That assessment explains why, although each of these three men were arrested by police, they were each subsequently released.
John Hope250,251,252,253
In October 1999, Mr Hope was an associate of Club Deroes, and he became a patched member “sometime in 2000”. Mr Hope was the registered owner of a white Landcruiser ute (the Landcruiser) that features in the evidence of Mr Kevin Fisher, which is set out later in this finding. Interestingly, Police have never been able to locate this vehicle, and it is not recorded as being registered anywhere in Australia.
Mr Hope was spoken to by police “off the record” on 27 October 1999, but he declined to be formally interviewed or to provide a statement. A document recording this conversation (the Notes) states that Mr Hope said that on the night of 7 October 1999, he had parked his Ford Falcon in front of the Compound.
The Notes also state that Mr Hope said he and his defacto partner (Ms Kelly Glass) then caught a taxi to the Safari Club where they stayed drinking until about 2.30 am on 8 October 1999, before catching a taxi home.254 However, at the inquest, Mr Hope said that he didn’t recall saying this, and that his partner’s recollection was that she had been working that night.255,256 250 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37, Notes of conversation - Mr J Hope (27.10.99) and ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp101-129 251 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.1, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr J Hope (31.10.17) 252 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.2, Viper Running Sheet - Mr J Hope (31.10.22) 253 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp38-39 254 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37, Notes of conversation - Mr J Hope (27.10.99) and ts 05.11.24 (Hope), p105 255 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), p108 256 This is inconsistent with Ms Glass’ evidence. See: Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 38, Notes of conversation - Ms K Glass (27.10.99)
Although Mr Hope said he wasn’t sure, he told police he thought he had been dropped at the Compound in the Landcruiser by Mr Fisher. Mr Hope is also recorded as saying that when he arrived at the compound, he saw Mr Atkinson and others, but that Mr Edhouse was not present.258
The Notes say Mr Hope drove himself home shortly after the group were spoken to by Officers Reilly and Stjepic, who had arrived at the Compound. Mr Hope is also recorded as saying that no one had mentioned anything to him about Lisa’s disappearance, and that he could not help police in that regard.259,260
On 31 October 2017, police spoke to Mr Hope by phone, and although he declined to meet them, a document recording this interaction states in part: “Hope reluctant to talk to police. Stated he could not help at all, doesn’t know anything about it. Nothing to say. Don’t want to talk to police”.261
On 15 August 2022, Mr Hope was spoken by police at his home. Although he declined to participate in a formal interview, Mr Hope told police he was no longer associated with Club Deroes and had left “on good terms”.262
• Denied the Landcruiser was at the Clubhouse and although he had gone to the Clubhouse on 8 October 1999 to collect a vehicle he left there the previous night, he didn’t stay;
• Denied being refused access to the Clubhouse on 8 October 1999, and denied receiving a phone call asking him to bring the Landcruiser to the Clubhouse;
• Denied any knowledge of Lisa’s death (apart from the media release), and denied any knowledge of the disposal of her body; and 257 At the inquest, Mr Hope said he “knew of Lisa” and had seen her “around town”: ts 05.11.24 (Hope), p103 258 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37, Notes of conversation - Mr J Hope (27.10.99) 259 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37, Notes of conversation - Mr J Hope (27.10.99) 260 This conversation occurred before Lisa had been reported as missing to police: ts 04.11.24, p60 261 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.1, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr J Hope (31.10.17) 262 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.2, Viper Running Sheet - Mr J Hope (31.10.22)
• Sold the Landcruiser to “a pastor from Lamington” about 18 months after Lisa’s disappearance because it was “old and not very good”, and may have “changed the number plates” shortly after 8 October 1999 after losing one of the originals.263
At the inquest, Mr Hope said he did not recall receiving a call from someone on 8 October 1999 asking him to take the Landcruiser to the Compound. Mr Hope said that Mr Fisher had borrowed the Landcruiser “for anywhere from four to six months”, and on a couple of occasions Mr Hope may have called Mr Fisher and told him to take the vehicle to the Clubhouse “ASAP” to collect “a broken down bike” because the vehicle was “kitted out to carry motorcycles”. Mr Hope also said that the Landcruiser would “quite often” be left at the Compound and was used to collect firewood for a wood stove in the Clubhouse.264
Mr Hope said he had no recollection of telling Mr Fisher on 8 October 1999, that something serious had happened at the Clubhouse and that the Landcruiser was required there. Mr Hope also said he had no recollection of being in a group spoken to by Officers Relly and Stjepic, and his recollection was that he went to the Compound that morning in the Landcruiser to pick up the Ford Falcon.265
At the inquest, Mr Hope was asked whether he had told Mr Fisher to “wash and clean out the Landcruiser” and his response was “Under no circumstances would I have done any such thing”. Mr Hope said he didn’t remember the vehicle ever having been washed and that “it was just an old bunky car”.
Mr Hope also said that he had sold the vehicle about 18 months after Lisa’s disappearance and “it would have been pointless washing it then”.266 However, Mr Hope and I had the following exchange: Coroner Jenkin: [D]espite the fact that your memory of events is hazy, when you’re asked about whether or not it’s correct that…you asked Mr Fisher to wash out the tray of…the Landcruiser, you immediately say, “No. That absolutely didn’t happen.” You’re very clear about that?
Mr Hope: Well, I’m clear that…it just is not something I would do and I mean, if that was the case and the car, for whatever reason, needed washing out, I would wash it out myself. Okay. I guess the only thing I can say is I do not recall asking Mr Fisher to do any such thing.267 263 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 37.2, Viper Running Sheet - Mr J Hope (31.10.22) 264 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp109-110 265 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp111-112 & 115 266 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), p114 267 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), p117
At the inquest Mr Hope also said he that police had consistently suggested to him that he had destroyed the Landcruiser. Mr Hope said that when police asked him what had happened to the Landcruiser, his response was: I told them that I owned the vehicle as per normal for approximately 18 months after that and then I advertised it and I sold it through normal everyday channels to a pastor in Lamington…Normal transfer papers and everything were done. The vehicle was not…(got)…rid of in any weird or untoward fashion. That’s what I made clear from the very beginning.268
At the inquest, Mr Hope said he didn’t have any documents “from that time” and that he had cleaned out a filing cabinet containing “all sorts of old rubbish and stuff”. Mr Hope agreed that he had called Mr Fisher (i.e.: in 2021) to ask whether he (Mr Fisher) could recall who the Landcruiser had been sold to.
Mr Hope also claimed that although he was a patched member of Club Deroes until about 2017, he had never had any discussions with anyone involved with the club about Lisa’s disappearance.269
At the inquest I noted that Mr Hope had admitted he was on friendly terms with Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson and I asked him whether the topic of Lisa’s disappearance had ever been discussed. In response, Mr Hope said: “Look, I don’t recall having any conversations like that with anybody”. Mr Hope also claimed he was not aware that Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson or Mr Smith had “actually been arrested” in relation to Lisa’s disappearance.270
Given the fact that the police told Mr Hope that they suspect the Landcruiser was used to dispose of Lisa’s remains, I find it difficult to believe that Mr Hope never discussed the topic of Lisa’s disappearance with Mr Edhouse and/or Mr Atkinson, the two men who were in Lisa’s company when she was last seen alive. However, other that the findings I have made earlier about Mr Hope’s vehicle, I have been unable to take Mr Hope’s evidence any further.
268 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp117-118 269 s 05.11.24 (Hope), pp117-122 270 ts 05.11.24 (Hope), pp119-122
[2025] WACOR 21 Benjamin Taulanga271,272,273
In October 1999, Mr Taulanga was working as a DJ at the Safari Club, and he gave three statements to police dated 12 October 1999, 22 October 1999, and 7 November 2017 respectively. Although Mr Taulanga’s statements are broadly consistent there is one discrepancy in the statements he gave police in October 1999 regarding his movements on 8 October 1999.
At about 5.00 am on 8 October 1999 the Safari Club closed and as Mr Taulanga was packing up his DJ equipment, Mr Atkinson asked if he was coming to the Clubhouse for a drink. This was something Mr Taulanga had done on other occasions, and although he told Mr Atkinson he wasn’t sure, he offered to give him and “his friends” a lift to the Clubhouse.
Mr Taulanga says that as he was packing up, Ms Richards asked him to “be quick finishing” because there was a guy making trouble. Mr Taulanga finished the pack up and went downstairs with his DJ equipment at about 5.15 am.
Mr Taulanga says he saw Mr Edhouse talking to police in a marked car on Hannan Street, and was told Mr Atkinson had already left for the Clubhouse.274
Mr Taulanga says he and his girlfriend (Ms Davis) dropped Mr Edhouse, Ms Richards, and Mr Nathan off at the Clubhouse before he and Ms Davis dropped his DJ equipment home. In his statement to police on 12 October 1999, Mr Taulanga says he left his car at his place and walked back to the Clubhouse.275 However, in his statement to police on 22 October 1999, Mr Taulanga said that after dropping off his DJ gear, he drove to Clubhouse.276
In the statement he gave police on 7 November 2017, Mr Taulanga explained the discrepancy between his two earlier statements in the following terms: The reason for the discrepancy is that when I provided the first statement I was concerned about the possibility of being in trouble for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol. By the time I gave the second statement I realised the situation regarding Lisa’s disappearance was very serious and the Police would not be interested in my potential drink driving offences.277 271 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 22 & 22.1-2, Statements - Mr B Taulanga (12.10.99, 22.10.99 & 07.11.17) 272 ts 05.11.24 (Taulanga), pp129-154 273 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp19-20 274 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p4 275 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (12.10.99), p2 276 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p5 277 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.2, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (07.11.17), paras 10-13
Whilst it is regrettable that Mr Taulanga’s first statement to police was inaccurate, he corrected his lie about his movements in his second statement. In my view, Mr Taulanga’s explanation for the discrepancy between his two statements makes sense, and I am content to rely on the truthfulness of the remainder of his statements given they are otherwise broadly consistent.
Mr Taulanga says that when he and Mr Davis returned to the Clubhouse, Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, Ms Torbett, a “Skimpy from the Exchange Hotel” (whose name he didn’t know), and a woman he later identified as Lisa were standing in the bar area at the Clubhouse. Mr Taulanga says Lisa was “flirting and talking to everyone” and “appeared to be pissed”, and although he guessed Lisa would have been drinking at the Clubhouse, Mr Taulanga did not see her doing so.278
In a later statement, Mr Taulanga says Lisa was wearing a black skirt with a white band around the bottom and a black lace top. Mr Taulanga says Lisa was “playing up to the guys in the Clubhouse” and “looked like she was on something rather than just being drunk but I don’t know for certain, it was just an observation”.279
Mr Taulanga says that shortly after he arrived at the Clubhouse, Mr Nathan “crashed out” on a lounge near the bar, and he saw Mr Atkinson put a blanket over him. Mr Taulanga says he saw “Crowie” (i.e.: Mr Edhouse) playing pool “with all the girls”, but Mr Edhouse was mainly talking “with Lisa and the skimpy”. Mr Taulanga says after a while, Mr Edhouse “and the girls” lost interest and went to the bar.280
Mr Taulanga says he saw Ms Richards and Mr Edhouse get into an argument about a man called “Dingo”, and Mr Edhouse slammed his “EB stubby bottle” onto the bar, causing it to smash and cut his hand. Mr Taulanga says Ms Torbett fetched a “chux cloth” and used it to wrap Mr Edhouse’s finger or hand, but “there was no real agro; it was all over just like that”.281 In his 2017 statement, Mr Taulanga says Ms Richards helped Mr Edhouse “clean the wound afterwards by giving him first aid”.282 278 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), pp6-7 279 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.2, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (07.11.17), paras 39-40 280 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p7 281 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p7 282 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.2, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (07.11.17), paras 34-37
In any case, Mr Taulanga says Ms Torbett left at about 7.00 am, and when she did, he is sure that he and Ms Davis, along with Lisa, Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, Ms Richards, and Mr Nathan were all still at the Clubhouse. Mr Taulanga also says he thinks he and Ms Davis left the Clubhouse shortly after Ms Torbett, because he was in the Exchange Hotel by 7.30 am having breakfast.283,284
However, although Mr Taulanga says he does not recall when Mr Edhouse left the Clubhouse, he does have a memory of Mr Edhouse “at the door saying something”. Mr Taulanga also says: “I do not recall Lisa being present then, so if she was outside just before him I do not recall”. As he left the Clubhouse, Mr Taulanga says Mr Nathan was still “crashed out” on the couch, and Ms Richards and Mr Atkinson were kissing, and Mr Atkinson was trying to get Ms Richards to stay.285
Mr Taulanga says as he started his car, Ms Richards came running out of the Clubhouse and asked him to wait before she briefly returned to the Clubhouse.
Meanwhile, two women (neither of whom was Lisa) walked out of the gate which leads to the old house at the Compound.
Mr Taulanga says Mr Nathan arrived at about 10.00 am saying he was running late for a court appearance. Mr Taulanga also says that he, Ms Davis, and his housemate stayed at the hotel for about another hour before going home.286
Although Mr Taulanga said Mr Edhouse had “dished out some of the worst beatings” he had ever seen, this violence had only been directed at men, and Mr Taulanga said he had “never witnessed any violent acts towards women”.290 I note that at the inquest, although Mr Edhouse conceded he had been “in a couple of scraps” and been “charged with a couple of assaults”, he denied he was a violent person.291 Rana-Tui Torbett292,293,294
At the inquest, Ms Torbett said that she no longer had an independent recollection of the events of 7 - 8 October 1999, but that the statement she gave police on 26 October 1999 was true, and that the events she recounts in that statement occurred.295
In her police statement Ms Torbett says that on 7 October 1999, she was having drinks with friends at the Exchange Hotel and later at the Grand Hotel.
Ms Torbett says after the Grand Hotel closed, she went to the Safari Club and arrived there at about 12.30 am on 8 October 1999.
Ms Torbett says Lisa told her she had just quit her job at “Edna Beveridge”, a novelty shop in Kalgoorlie.296
290 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.2, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (07.11.17), paras 54-60 291 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), p411 292 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99) and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175 293 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16.1, Hand drawn map of Clubhouse - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99) 294 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp15-16 295 ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp156-157 296 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99) and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175
Ms Torbett says Lisa was “drunk and stoned” and although she “wasn’t really flirting”, she saw Lisa play a game of pool with Mr Edhouse. Ms Torbett says that as she, Lisa, and the blonde skimpy” shared a “cone” of marijuana at the bar, Lisa told her that she had had “an argument” with her boyfriend earlier that night and was no longer with him.
Ms Torbett says Lisa also said that if her boyfriend found out that she (Lisa) was at the Clubhouse “he would kill her”. As I mentioned earlier, Ms Richards says she overheard this conversation and that Lisa had said she “would be in trouble” if her boyfriend knew she was at the Clubhouse.297,298,299
At the inquest, Ms Torbett was asked about what Lisa had said and her response was: As far as I can remember, (Lisa) basically just said, “If he found out I was there, he would kill me”…Pretty much. Like, not that she was scared that he was going to kill her or anything, but…obviously, like I said, had had a fight and because he had friends in the other club (Lisa) sort of knew, I would understand, that he wouldn’t…appreciate her being there, whether they had had a fight or not.300
Ms Torbett says at some point she noticed Mr Edhouse had cut his hand but wasn’t sure how he had done so. Ms Torbett says she was feeling “pretty drunk” and that she left the Clubhouse at about 6.30 am, sometime after her conversation with Lisa. Ms Torbett says that at the time she said her goodbyes, Lisa, Mr Atkinson, Mr Edhouse, Mr Nathan, and “the Skimpy” were still awake.301
Ms Torbett says she had not seen Lisa at the Clubhouse before, and did not see or speak to Lisa again after that night. Ms Torbett also says she became aware that Lisa was missing “a couple of days later after reading it in the paper”, but said she had not spoken to Mr Atkinson or Mr Edhouse about Lisa’s disappearance.302 297 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99), pp4-5 and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp166-167 298 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20, Handwritten notes of conversation - Ms C Richards (14.10.99) 299 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.1, Notes of interview - Ms C Richards (undated) 300 ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), p167 301 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99), pp4-5 and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175 302 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 16, Statement - Ms R-T Torbett (26.10.99), p5 and ts 05.11.24 (Torbett), pp154-175
[2025] WACOR 21 Cecily Richards303,304,305,306
Ms Richards was spoken to by police on 14 October 1999, and she gave statements to police in 2017 and 2022. At the inquest, Ms Richards said that she could not recall the night of 7 October 1999 “at all”, but agreed that the statements she had given to police were correct.307 In her 2017 statement (which was broadly consistent with notes taken by police of their conversation with her in 1999), Ms Richards says she went to the Safari Club on 8 October 1999 at about 3.30 am, after drinking with her boyfriend at the Palace Hotel (where she worked).
At the Safari Club, Ms Richards says she saw several members of Club Deroes, including Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson. Mr Richards also saw the Safari Club DJ (Mr Taulanga) and his girlfriend (Ms Davis), and several others, but not Lisa, who was someone she didn’t really know. When the Safari Club closed, Ms Richards says she went downstairs and noticed the police were there but she was unsure what was going on.
Ms Richards says she and Ms Davis were taken to the Clubhouse by Mr Taulanga in his vehicle. Ms Richards says that when she arrived at the Clubhouse, Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, Mr Nathan, a “Raunchy girl” she didn’t know, and Lisa were already there, and Ms Torbett arrived at about the same Ms Richards did. Ms Richards says Lisa was standing at the pool table wearing a black mini skirt, and at some point she (Lisa) came to the bar and Ms Richards heard Lisa say: “If hubby knew I was here I’d be in trouble”.308,309
At the inquest Ms Richards said that Ms Davis was standing next to Lisa and herself when Lisa she made this comment. Ms Richards said she had been told that Lisa’s boyfriend was a patched member of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club, although she later found out this wasn’t the case. Ms Richards offered the following explanation of why she thought Lisa may have made this comment: “I know at that time - it’s sort of an unspoken rule that if you’re the girlfriend of a different club member, you don’t go to the…opposition’s clubhouses, especially alone, especially without your partner”.310,311 303 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20, Handwritten notes of conversation - Ms C Richards (14.10.99) 304 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.1, Notes of interview - Ms C Richards (undated) 305 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 20.2 & 20.3, Statements - Ms C Richards (08.11.17 & 14.07.22) and ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp179-197 306 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp17-18 307 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), p181 308 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.2, Statement - Ms C Richards (08.11.17), para 32 309 See also: ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp188-189 310 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), p189 311 See also: ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp190 & 196-197
Ms Richards says those at the Clubhouse were drinking and playing pool, and that she was dancing and encouraging others to do so. At some point, Ms Richards says she and Mr Edhouse “got into an argument” when she mentioned the name of a former member of Club Deroes, and Mr Edhouse smashed a bottle which cut his hand.312
Ms Richards says she was at the Clubhouse for about one hour, and that she left with Mr Taulanga and Ms Davis. By that time, Mr Atkinson was “locking up” and only Mr Nathan (who was asleep on a couch) was still in the Clubhouse.
At the inquest, Ms Richards said did not know what time Lisa left the Clubhouse.313
In her police statement, Ms Richards says she had been to the Clubhouse “heaps of times” before and after Lisa went missing, by which she says she meant “more than 50 times”. However, at the inquest Ms Richards said this was not correct, and that although she had gone to the Clubhouse (and the Club Deroes new clubhouse) numerous times after Lisa went missing, she had only been to the Clubhouse once or twice before that.314 Ms Richards explained this discrepancy by saying that at the time she signed her 2017 statement she was at work, and she only had limited time to read the statement before signing it.315
I also note that when Ms Richards spoke to police on 14 October 1999, she is recorded as having said: “Been to old clubhouse once. Never been before. Went to new clubhouse once. Just went there to socialise”.316,317 In any case, in her 2017 statement, Ms Richards says she did not see Lisa again after “that night at the Deroes clubhouse”, and did not remember “anything changing at the clubhouse” before or after Lisa went missing. Ms Richards also said she was “never present in the club house or with any members” when Lisa was discussed, and she did not know what had happened to Lisa.318
At the inquest, Ms Richards denied that any member or associate of Club Deroes had told her what to say during her evidence, and she confirmed she had no other information she could provide the Court about Lisa’s disappearance.319 312 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.2, Statement - Ms C Richards (08.11.17), paras 35-37 313 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), p191 314 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.2, Statement - Ms C Richards (08.11.17), paras 53 -54 315 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), p184 316 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20, Handwritten notes of conversation - Ms C Richards (14.10.99), p6 317 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.1, Notes of interview - Ms C Richards (undated) 318 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.2, Statement - Ms C Richards (08.11.17), paras 59-62 319 ts 06.11.24 (Richards), pp194-195
[2025] WACOR 21 Trefor Atkinson320,321,322
Although Mr Atkinson was a “prospective member” of Club Deroes in 1999, he never became a “patched” member. Mr Atkinson was arrested by police on suspicion of Lisa’s murder three times (i.e.: in 2017, 2018, and 2022) and subsequently released on each occasion.323
During his 2017 police interview, Mr Atkinson was said to have been “vague and consistently claimed he could not remember most details”, although he agreed “it could have been likely” that he had asked Mr Smith to supply him with cocaine on the morning of 8 October 1999 because “he used and sold cocaine at the time”.324,325
When interviewed in 2018, Mr Atkinson was “non-committal in his interview replying that he ‘couldn't remember’ or ‘didn't know’ in response to questioning”. Mr Atkinson also acknowledged that he may have called Mr Smith to the Clubhouse on the morning of 8 October 1999, “but would not commit to it”.326,327
When Mr Atkinson was arrested in 2022, he declined to answer any questions, as is his right.328
During his evidence at the inquest, Mr Atkinson appeared to have difficulty responding to simple questions, and it was sometimes necessary to put questions to him more than once.329.
Although Mr Atkinson repeatedly claimed he could not recall key events, he also denied that the “rule” that patched members and associates of Club Deroes did not talk to anyone about club business was any part of his inability to remember things. Instead Mr Atkinson said: “No. My (indistinct) I can’t remember because I - I don’t have a good memory. I’ve had, I think, 15 surgeries to date so far…15 since 2006 and a lot of other things going on in my life that - that are - very important”.330 320 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 36, Notes of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (26.10.99) and ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp198-252 321 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 60 & 61, Records of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (02.11.17 & 04.01.18) 322 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp37-38 323 Mr Atkinson was arrested on: 02.11.17, 04.01.18, and 31.08.22 324 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 60, Record of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (02.11.17) 325 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p38 326 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, 61, Record of Interview - Mr T Atkinson (04.01.18) 327 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p38 328 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p38 329 See for example: ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp205 & 208-209 330 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp240-241
At the inquest, Mr Atkinson also claimed that the first he had heard of Mr Edwards’ evidence (i.e.: that Mr Smith told Mr Edwards about having seen Mr Edhouse jump on Lisa’s head) was when he (Mr Atkinson) had listened to a podcast a few days earlier. However, when it was pointed out to Mr Atkinson that this evidence had been put to him during his police interview in 2017, he first claimed he had misunderstood the question, and then said he had simply forgotten.331
Nevertheless, at the inquest Mr Atkinson did confirm certain aspects of the evidence of other witnesses. Mr Atkinson said that in 1999, he and Mr Edhouse were living in an old house at the front of the Compound. Mr Atkinson also said he had worked in nightclub security and that he sold various drugs and used cocaine. Mr Atkinson said he had been shown CCTV footage taken at the front of the Safari Club on 8 October 1999, and although he said he couldn’t remember, he agreed that he had been there and that he had gone into the laneway at the side of the Safari Club after it closed.332
Mr Atkinson also accepted that he had raised his hand to Lisa (who was standing with Mr Edhouse in the laneway) and thought this may have been because she “flicked a cigarette butt or something” in his face. He said that he was intoxicated at the time and could not remember this incident, but that it was something he was “not proud of”. Mr Atkinson also apologised for his actions and said he was “not that kind of person”.333
Mr Atkinson accepted that after Mr Edhouse had intervened he (Mr Atkinson) walked away. Although he said he couldn’t recall doing so, Mr Atkinson accepted that he had travelled to the Clubhouse in a taxi with two females, one of whom was Lisa. Mr Atkinson agreed that he had been serving drinks to those at the Clubhouse, including Lisa, and although he did not recall seeing Lisa smoke cannabis, this was not something that was unusual.334
Although Mr Atkinson said that he was intoxicated and did not remember much about the events at the Clubhouse, he said he thought he could recall Mr Edhouse cutting his hand (although this was something police had told him during one of his interviews), and that Mr Nathan had fallen asleep on a couch in the Clubhouse.335 331 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp242-248 332 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp199-215 333 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp215-218 334 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp219-220 335 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp221-223
Mr Atkinson also said he remembered Lisa being at the Clubhouse and that she was dressed in “black clothes”. When asked if Lisa had been flirting with Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson replied: “I would say so, but I was - I would have been serving drinks so…I’m not going to speculate. So they, they obviously know each other, so you know”.336
Despite his previous equivocations, at the inquest Mr Atkinson said that he thought he had called Mr Smith on the morning of 8 October 1999 and asked him to bring some cocaine to the Clubhouse. However, Mr Atkinson said he could not recall Lisa being out the front of the Compound that morning. When asked if he recalled walking back in the compound with Mr Edhouse and Lisa, Mr Atkinson said: “More than likely in a sense, I would - I would - I would - I would assume. Yes. I - you know”. However, moments later in his evidence Mr Atkinson said he could not clearly recall doing so.337
Mr Atkinson agreed that he and Mr Edhouse shared drugs, but when he was asked whether he shared cocaine with Lisa, his response was: “I doubt that very much”, saying he would have kept it for himself. Mr Atkinson also denied having given Lisa drugs causing her to overdose, and said that he “didn’t give drugs to anyone”.338
Mr Atkinson said he could not recall any argument between Lisa and Mr Edhouse, and although he denied he or Mr Edhouse had attempted to have sex with Lisa, Mr Atkinson later said he didn’t know if Lisa and Mr Edhouse had sex. Mr Atkinson denied seeing Mr Edhouse assault, stomp, or kick Lisa, and when was asked whether he saw Lisa on the Clubhouse floor at any time, Mr Atkinson said “I - I don’t think I remember”, and “I can’t remember”.339
Mr Atkinson said he did not know what had happened to Lisa on the morning of 8 October 1999 and that he could not provide any information about where she might have gone. When asked if had Lisa left the Clubhouse, Mr Atkinson responded: “I would assume so”. When asked whether he and Mr Edhouse had any conversations about what happened to Lisa, Mr Atkinson said: “Not that I can recall. No”. Later in his evidence, Mr Atkinson also claimed that since Lisa’s disappearance he and Mr Edhouse had never talked about what had happened to her.340 336 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp223-224 337 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp225-227 338 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp229-230 339 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp231-232 340 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp232 & 239-241
As mentioned, both Mr Atkinson and Mr Edhouse have been arrested on suspicion of Lisa’s murder, and they are the last people known to have been in her presence. In that context, I find it difficult to accept Mr Atkinson’s evidence that he and Mr Edhouse have never discussed Lisa’s disappearance.
In any case, Mr Atkinson was asked whether he recalled painting the floor of the Clubhouse at any time and he said that he “could very well have done”, however he said he could not “100%” recall carpet being removed from the Clubhouse. Mr Atkinson also denied any knowledge of Mr Hope’s Landcruiser having been used to “move any evidence such as carpet or the body of Lisa Govan from the Deroes clubhouse”.341 Kevin Smith342,343,344
In 1999, Mr Smith owned a plastering business in Kalgoorlie and was described by police as a “close associate” of Club Deroes and as being “actively involved in the distribution of illicit drugs in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community”. In statements Mr Smith gave police in October 1999, he says he picked up Mr Edwards (who was his employee) at about 7.05 am on 8 October 1999, and they drove to a jobsite in Burt Street in Boulder. The job was “locked up” and Mr Smith drove to Mr Heaton’s home. Mr Heaton was a friend, and Mr Smith says he had promised to do some work for him.345
On the way, Mr Atkinson (who sounded “drunk”) called Mr Smith and said he wanted to see him, so Mr Smith says he drove to the Compound and arrived there at about 7.30 am.346,347 Mr Atkinson and Mr Edhouse were standing in the driveway, and Mr Smith says Mr Atkinson asked him to drop him at his brother’s house in Boulder to collect some painting gear so he could paint Mr Blaxendell’s “sex shop”, and the Clubhouse - a request Mr Smith says he refused because he was too busy.348
Mr Smith described Mr Atkinson and Mr Edhouse as “pretty pissed” and says Mr Atkinson attached one end of a set of plastic hand cuffs to his driver’s side mirror. The other end was around Mr Atkinson’s wrist, and as Mr Smith reversed his car out of the driveway the handcuffs snapped.
341 ts 06.11.24 (Atkinson), pp235-238 & 249 342 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 25 & 25.1-25.2, Statements - Mr K Smith (14.10.99, 28.10.99 & 2018 - unsigned/undated) 343 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp252-287 344 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp24-26 345 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p24 346 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 54.1, Memorandum Det. Sen. Const. S Kays (03.08.02) 347 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 54, Telstra report for mobile used by Mr Atkinson (04-10.10.99) 348 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 25 & 25.1, Statement - Mr K Smith (14.10.99 & 23.10.99) and ts 06.11.24 (Smith), p264
Mr Smith said the woman appeared to be talking to someone on her mobile phone, and as he drove off she was standing in front of the Foundry Hotel.
Mr Smith also says Mr Atkinson pulled down his pants and exposed himself.
A short time later, Mr Smith says he returned to the Compound because he needed some staples for his staple gun which were at the Clubhouse where he had previously done some work. When spoken to by the police in 2018, Mr Smith added that he was collecting his staple gun as well.349 Mr Smith says he arrived back at the Clubhouse at about 7.35 am to 7.40 am and that this time, nobody was standing out the front of the Compound. The gates were closed and he and Mr Edwards got out and Mr Edwards opened the gate. Mr Smith says he spoke to a mechanic he knew who had also pulled up (i.e.: Mr Andrews),350 but after a few minutes the man drove away.
Mr Smith says he walked into the Compound towards a shed on the left and collected his staples (and the staple gun). Mr Smith says Mr Atkinson, who was standing behind the bar in the Clubhouse was yelling out and calling him over.
Mr Atkinson “looked drunk” and Mr Smith says he told him he was too busy to talk to him. Mr Smith says that as he was heading back to the jobsite in Boulder Mr Atkinson called him two or three times, asking him to come back and “drive him around”, but Mr Smith told him he was too busy and turned off his phone.
When Mr Smith spoke to police in 2018, a statement was drafted for him but he declined to sign it. Mr Smith told police that although he could not recall if Mr Atkinson had called him on the morning of 8 October 1999 asking for some cocaine, it was possible he had supplied him some that morning. Mr Smith said he and Mr Atkinson had purchased cocaine for their personal use, and when Mr Atkinson wanted some, he (Mr Smith) would drop it off.
Mr Smith says that although the floors in the Clubhouse had not been previously painted, when he visited on 12 October 1999, the floors had been painted.
Mr Smith spoke with Mr Blaxendell who asked him whether he had seen “a girl” at the Clubhouse and Mr Smith told him what he had seen. Mr Smith also says after watching the GWN news on TV on 13 October 1999, he recognised the woman he had seen outside the Compound on 8 October 1999 as Lisa.
349 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 25.2, Statement - Mr K Smith (2018 - unsigned/undated) 350 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 27, Handwritten Statement - Mr D Andrews (26.10.99) & Tab 27.1, Statement - Mr D Andrews (28.10.99)
When Mr Smith spoke to the police in 2018, he denied he had walked over to the Clubhouse and spoken to Mr Atkinson. At the inquest, Mr Smith also denied he had spoken to Mr Edhouse either, and claimed he could not recall whether Mr Edwards had got out of the car and followed him in when they arrived at the Compound but conceded “he could have”. However, Mr Smith also said he recalled looking through an opening in the compound gates and seeing Mr Edwards sitting in the car.351
When Mr Smith spoke to police in 2018, he also said that after leaving the Compound, he and Mr Edwards returned to the Burt Street jobsite, where they both stayed all day. Mr Smith denied he had visited Mr Heaton’s house, or that he had left Mr Edwards alone at the Burt Street jobsite, something he said he would not do. Mr Smith also denied he had returned to the Clubhouse at any stage that day.
Mr Smith also told police that the only reason he had given his initial statement (i.e.: in 1999) was because Mr Blaxendell had told him to do so. Mr Smith says Mr Blaxendell was “the boss of the Club Deroes” and a good friend, and that he was worried about the Club Deroes, having returned to Kalgoorlie after a fishing trip. Mr Smith told police that if Mr Blaxendell had asked him, he would not have said anything to the police and that he was “just an associate” of Club Deroes and not a member or nominee.352
At the inquest, Mr Smith said that the Club Deroes boss at the time (i.e.: Mr Blaxendell) spoke to him saying he had come back from a fishing trip “and all hell had broken loose because (Lisa) was missing”. Mr Blaxendell then told him and Mr Edwards to speak with police, and “we did”.353
In the unsigned statement prepared after he spoke to the police in 2018, Mr Smith denied he had asked Mr Heaton to assault Mr Edwards, but said Mr Heaton had done so because Mr Edwards had been stealing from Mr Smith and others.354
However, at the inquest Mr Smith said he had asked Mr Heaton to assault Mr Edwards because he (Mr Edwards) had been breaking into Mr Smith’s home and stealing things including Mr Smith’s mother’s “knickers”.355 351 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 25.2, Statement - Mr K Smith (2018 - unsigned/undated) 352 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 25.2, Statement - Mr K Smith (2018 - unsigned/undated) 353 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp272-273 354 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 25.2, Statement - Mr K Smith (2018 - unsigned/undated) 355 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp281-282
At the inquest, Mr Smith flatly denied Mr Edwards’ suggestion they had been to the Compound three times on 8 October 1999, and said they had only been there twice. Mr Smith denied leaving Mr Edwards alone at the Burt Street jobsite and visiting Mr Heaton, saying “Well, he (Mr Edwards) wasn’t that good to leave him on his own” and the Burt Street job involved “flushing” and “fixing” which required two people.356
At the inquest, Mr Smith also denied that Mr Edwards had come into the Compound on either occasion they had visited on the morning of on 8 October 1999, and that instead, Mr Edwards had remained in the car.
Mr Smith said that Mr Edwards was “telling lies”, and he (Mr Smith) flatly denied he had spoken to Mr Edhouse at the Clubhouse door, or that Mr Edhouse had moved away from the door and come back again.357
At the inquest Mr Smith denied that he and Mr Edwards had walked back to the Ute together, saying Mr Edwards was already in the vehicle. Mr Smith denied being “in a panic about something”, or that he told Mr Edwards that he (Mr Smith) had just witnessed Mr Edhouse assault Lisa. Mr Smith also denied that later that day he told Mr Edwards that Lisa had died, or that he and Mr Edwards went somewhere to discuss that they would tell the police.358
Mr Smith also denied he had loaned his yellow Hilux to anyone, either on 8 October 1999 or that weekend, but that it was possible that someone had borrowed it, as the vehicle was parked on his verge with its keys under the driver’s side floor mat.359
Mr Smith also said giving statements to police had caused him “a bit of grief” because those associated with Club Deroes assumed that by doing so, Mr Smith had got Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson “into trouble”. Despite the fact that Mr Smith said he had spoken to both Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson after Lisa disappeared, he claimed he had never discussed her disappearance with them.360
Mr Smith was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact, and Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson were the last people known to have been with Lisa. In that context, it seems very unlikely Mr Smith would never discussed Lisa’s disappearance with either Mr Edhouse or Mr Atkinson.
356 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp267-269 357 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp270-271 358 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp271-272 359 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp259-260 & 274-275 360 ts 06.11.24 (Smith), pp275-276
[2025] WACOR 21 Michael Heaton361,362
In 1999, Mr Heaton was living in Kalgoorlie. At the inquest, Mr Heaton denied ever being a patched member of associate of Club Deroes, but said he was a “friend” of Club Deroes and that he “still knew a few people” associated with the club. In his report, Officer Lines says “On two occasions (Mr Heaton) declined interview regarding the disappearance of Lisa. These occasions were in November 1999 and December 2017”.363,364
At the inquest, Mr Heaton denied speaking with either Mr Edhouse or Mr Atkinson about Lisa’s disappearance, and said he could not recall being in a group of people spoken to by Officers Reilly and Stjepic on the morning of 8 October 1999 outside the Compound.365,366
Mr Heaton also denied arranging to borrow Mr Hope’s Landcruiser that day, or that he had received a call from either Mr Edhouse or Mr Atkinson saying something serious had happened at the Clubhouse, and/or that Lisa was dead.367
At the inquest, Mr Heaton said he could not recall Mr Smith coming to speak with him after he (Mr Smith) had visited the Compound on the morning of 8 October 1999.368
When Mr Heaton was referred to the evidence Mr Edwards had given about Mr Smith telling him (Mr Edwards) about witnessing Mr Edhouse “jumping” on Lisa’s head, Mr Heaton responded: “He’s lying. He’s a liar”.369
At the inquest, Mr Heaton denied he had driven Mr Hope’s Landcruiser with Mr Atkinson as a passenger on 8 October 1999, saying “I don’t know anything about that”. Mr Heaton also denied he had used the Landcruiser to transport Lisa’s remains, or that Mr Edhouse or Mr Atkinson had ever told him what had happened to Lisa in the Clubhouse on the morning of 8 October 1999.370 361 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp290-306 362 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p40 363 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), p290 364 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p40 365 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp293-295 366 Note: This conversation occurred before Lisa had been reported as missing to police: ts 04.11.24 (Lines), p60 367 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp293-295 368 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp296-297 369 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), p297 370 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp300-301
[2025] WACOR 21 Raymond Fisher371,372,373,374
In October 1999, Mr Fisher was working at Mr Hope’s place “processing dirt to get gold from it”. Mr Fisher gave a total of four statements to the police (in 2003, 2017, 2018, and 2022 respectively), and he gave evidence at the inquest.
In the statements he gave in 2017 and 2018, Mr Fisher said that about three days after Lisa had gone missing, he was spoken to by a Homicide Squad detective, and that: I told him a little of what I knew. I did not tell him everything at this time and I did not include everything I witnessed in my previous statement dated 4th April 2003 as I knew it was a serious matter and I did not want to get involved at the time. I was afraid of the repercussions.375,376
In his 2018 statement, Mr Fisher said that although he and Mr Hope were not patched members of Club Deroes, they “were what you would call prospects”.
Mr Fisher also said that although Mr Hope eventually became a patched member of Club Deroes, he did not and when he (Mr Fisher) refused to join he “was pushed out of the group”.377
There are several significant inconsistencies between Mr Fisher’s 2003 statement, and the statements he gave in 2017 and 2018. Those inconsistencies make it difficult to determine the truth of Mr Fisher’s various assertions, and his credibility suffers as a result.
In the statement he gave police in 2003, Mr Fisher says that at about 7.00 am on 8 October 1999, he was driving along Boulder Street heading to Mr Hope’s place to start work. Mr Fisher says that on the way, he drove past the Compound and that as he did so he saw Lisa (who he had met previously) standing in front of the Compound. Mr Fisher also says that Mr Smith and his “apprentice” (presumably Mr Edwards) were standing in front of the Compound gates.378 371 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 30, 30.1 & 30.3-30.4, Statements - Mr R Fisher (04.04.03, 07.11.17, 06.02.18 &10.08.22) 372 ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp309-348 373 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.2, Diagram of Clubhouse compound - Mr R Fisher 374 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp31-33 375 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), para 52 376 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), para 70 377 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 10-11 378 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30, Statement - Mr R Fisher (04.04.03), paras 8-12
Mr Fisher says he drove on to Mr Hope’s house and started work, and that at about 10.00 am, Mr Hope came out and asked him to go to the Clubhouse and pick up a Landcruiser which he (Mr Hope) had left there. Mr Fisher says he walked to the Compound where he saw Mr Atkinson and Mr Heaton, and that when he asked for Mr Hope’s Landcruiser Mr Atkinson asked him to come back in about 30 minutes. Mr Fisher says he went next door to the Foundry Hotel and that sometime later, the Landcruiser pulled up at the Compound.379
Mr Fisher says that as he walked out of the Foundry Hotel towards the Compound, an unmarked police car pulled up and Officers Reilly and Stjepic380 spoke with Mr Heaton and Mr Atkinson. Mr Fisher says he thought something was “wrong” because the police had arrived.
Mr Fisher says as he was walking towards the police, Mr Hope came from across the road and was “yelling and carrying on” about his ute and how long it had taken Mr Fisher to get it. Mr Fisher says Mr Atkinson gave him the Landcruiser’s keys and he drove off back to Mr Hope’s house. Mr Fisher says he doesn’t recall what people were wearing or any other conversation, and he also says: “I didn’t see Lisa at the time either”.381
In the statements he gave police in 2017 and 2018, Mr Fisher says that on the morning of 8 October 1999, he was he was driving to Mr Hope’s house along the bypass road which runs parallel to Boulder Street. In these statements, Mr Fisher claims he saw Lisa (who was a passenger on Mr Grierson’s motorcycle) being dropped off at the Foundry Hotel, and then seeing Lisa and Mr Edhouse walk towards the Clubhouse.382,383
In his 2017 and 2018 statements, Mr Fisher says that between 8.00 am and 8.30 am on 8 October 1999, Mr Hope received a phone call and then asked him to take his Landcruiser (which had a tray back) to the Compound. Mr Fisher says Mr Hope: “sounded a little panicky and stated that something had happened at the club, or something was going on at the clubhouse and they needed his ute”.384,385 379 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30, Statement - Mr R Fisher (04.04.03), paras 13-31 380 At the inquest, Mr Fisher said the officers were Officer Reilly, and another officer he didn’t know: ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp315-316 381 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30, Statement - Mr R Fisher (04.04.03), paras 32-43 382 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 4-17 383 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 12-15 384 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 19-22 385 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 22-25
Mr Fisher says when they arrived he saw Mr Smith who “wandered off into the Foundry Hotel” where he was staying at the time.386,387
That’s just a thought, you know, or they’re wanting to pick something up from the club and take it somewhere else or get something and take it to the club, you know.388
In any case, Mr Fisher says that as he and Mr Hope walked down the side of the house to go into the Clubhouse, they met Mr Atkinson, Mr Heaton and Mr Edhouse who were at the gate “and would not let us past”.389,390
In his 2018 statement, Mr Fisher says he thought this was strange as he had been in the Clubhouse many times, and had never been stopped from going inside.391 Mr Fisher says after Mr Hope had given the Landcruiser’s keys to either Mr Atkinson or Mr Heaton, he and Mr Hope went back to Mr Hope’s place.
Mr Fisher says he continued working, but that Mr Hope was worried about the Landcruiser so they returned to the Compound in Mr Fisher’s car.392,393
Either way, Mr Fisher says sometime later the Landcruiser returned to the Compound with Mr Heaton driving, and Mr Atkinson in the passenger seat. No one else was in the vehicle, and “the direction of travel was from Kalgoorlie towards Boulder”. Mr Fisher says as he walked out of the Foundry Hotel, he saw police “pull up” and Officers Reilly and Stjepic spoke with Mr Heaton, Mr Edhouse and Mr Blaxendell. In his 2017 statement, Mr Fisher says a short time later the police left, and he drove the Landcruiser back to Mr Hope’s place, while Mr Hope stayed at the Compound.396,397,398
As mentioned, in his 2018 statement Mr Fisher says that as the police were speaking with Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson and Mr Heaton, Mr Hope came from across the road “yelling and carrying on about his ute” and how long it had taken Mr Fisher to retrieve it. Mr Fisher says he is sure Mr Hope arrived in his girlfriend’s car but he couldn’t be sure. Mr Fisher says he couldn’t recall what anyone was wearing or any other conversation, and that he “didn’t see Lisa at the time either”.399
In any case, Mr Fisher says that he then drove the Landcruiser back to Mr Hope’s place, and that about 30 minutes later Mr Hope called him and asked him to “clean the car”. Mr Fisher says when he asked Mr Hope what he meant Mr Hope said: “Wash it all down, wash the back of it down, have a look through the front, give it a bit of a clean down, I'm going to sell it”.400,401
Mr Fisher says he used a garden hose to wash the outside of the Landcruiser’s cab and the tray in Mr Hope’s backyard, and in his 2018 statement, Mr Fisher says at the time, Mr Hope kept the Landcruiser reasonably clean.402,403
In his 2018 statement, Mr Fisher also says that while cleaning the Landcruiser: I did not notice anything different in the tray the only thing he had on the back was a spare fuel can which was bolted in. I looked inside…the cab (and) it was tidy. I did not clean the inside of the car, I just washed it down with the hose I did not cut or polish it.404 396 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 33-38 397 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 39-44 398 See also: ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp327-328 399 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 45-48 400 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 38-41 401 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 49-52 402 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), para 43 403 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 54-55 404 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 56-57
At the inquest, Mr Fisher said there was no doubt in his mind that he washed the Landcruiser at Mr Hope’s request, and he said he washed it because he (Mr Fisher) had used it and dirtied it.405 However, Mr Fisher denied knowing anything about the Landcruiser having been used to dispose of evidence of a crime that might have occurred at the Clubhouse, and said Mr Hope had not told him anything about what had happened that morning.406
At the inquest, Mr Fisher also denied any knowledge of the Landcruiser having been cleaned and sold so that police would not be able to find any forensic evidence, saying: “No, no, no. I wasn’t under any impression like that. It was like, I didn’t know that Lisa was even gone”. Mr Fisher says that when Mr Hope returned to the house (or when Mr Fisher collected him from the Compound, depending on which statement is being relied on), Mr Fisher asked Mr Hope what had happened that morning. Mr Fisher says Mr Hope response was: “I can’t say anything, something bad has happened, or words to this effect”.407,408
In his 2018 statement, Mr Fisher says he believes Mr Hope sold the Landcruiser about one week after it was cleaned. Mr Fisher also says the vehicle was sold “through word of mouth” to “a preacher”, and he never saw it again.409 In his 2022 statement, Mr Fisher says in April 2021, Mr Hope had called and asked if Mr Fisher remembered who Mr Hope had sold the Landcruiser to. Mr Fisher says he told Mr Hope he recalled him saying he sold it to a preacher.410
Mr Fisher denied Mr Hope had threatened him or asked him to provide an alibi for the Landcruiser’s sale. I also note that at the inquest, and in his statement, Mr Fisher said he was not sure if Mr Hope had told him he had purchased the Landcruiser from a preacher, but either way he remembered a preacher being mentioned.411
In his 2017 and 2018 statements, Mr Fisher says that the next time he went to the Clubhouse after Lisa had gone missing, he noted a piece of carpet had been cut away from around the pool table. The missing piece which had frayed ends, ran from “toilet to the bar” and was about 1.5 m wide and about 4 m long.412,413 405 ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp347-348 406 ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), p345 407 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), para 44 and ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), p345 408 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), para 62 409 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 58-60 410 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.4, Statement - Mr R Fisher (10.08.22) and ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), p336 411 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.4, Statement - Mr R Fisher (10.08.22) and ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), p336 412 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 46-50 413 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 63-67
Mr Fisher attached a sketch map to his 2017 statement showing where he had seen Lisa outside the Foundry Hotel, and also the location of the missing piece of the carpet.414 Mr Fisher said he had seen a clip on the news showing police cutting away a piece of concrete in the Clubhouse and this had jogged his memory because the carpet had been removed from the same area.415,416
At the inquest, Mr Fisher said that at the time, he didn’t ask anyone about why the piece of carpet had been removed, nor was he curious about why this had been done. When Mr Fisher asked why he had thought the event sufficiently important to mention in his 2017 and 2018 statements, he said: “Well, there was something that was different in the clubhouse”.417 Timothy Hammel418,419
As I have noted, in October 1999, Mr Hammel was Lisa’s defacto partner and they lived together in Kalgoorlie. Mr Hammel gave a statement to police in 1999, and he gave evidence at the inquest. Earlier in this finding I outlined Mr Hammel’s movements on 7 - 8 October 1999, the fact that he promptly reported Lisa’s disappearance to police, and that he subsequently assisted police with their enquiries.
I have also explained that Mr Hammel sustained a serious graze to his face and other injuries when he fell off his motorcycle as he rode around looking for Lisa after she had disappeared.420,421,422,423,424 CCTV footage from the Exchange Hotel on 8 October 1999 shows that Mr Hammel arrived at 7.11 am and left at 9.33 am. As noted, Lisa was last seen outside the Compound at about 7.30 am on 8 October 1999.425
Although Mr Hammel was initially the focus of police enquiries, his prompt report to police that Lisa was missing, his cooperative attitude, and his movements before and after Lisa went missing satisfied police he was not involved in her disappearance.426 414 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.2, Sketch map - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17) 415 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.1, Statement - Mr R Fisher (07.11.17), paras 45 & 51 416 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 30.3, Statement - Mr R Fisher (06.02.18), paras 68-69 417 ts 08.11.24 (Fisher), pp341-342 418 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99) and ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), pp351-376 419 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp40-42 420 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 46, Statement - Ms N Bell (18.10.99) 421 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 47, Statement - Mr J Bell (18.10.99) 422 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 48 & 48.1, Statements - Mr S Edginton (13.10.99 & 18.10.99) 423 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 50, Statement - Ms A Young (19.11.99) 424 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 50.1, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital Triage Notes (09.10.99) 425 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p49 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp16-17 426 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p9 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp16-20
Andrew Edhouse431,432
In 1999, Mr Edhouse was a patched member of Club Deroes, and he and Mr Atkinson lived in an old house at the Compound with their respective girlfriends.433 A police document dated 8 November 1999 relates to the following task: “Locate Andrew Edhouse and interview him further regarding his movements on 07/10/99 and 08/10/99, who was at the club house, his last knowledge of Lisa Govan etc”.434
The police document also contains the following entries: Action required: Interview EDHOUSE and obtain statement (if possible) regarding his movements 07 - 08/10/99 and any information on (Lisa) or who was at the Club House on these nights.
Result: EDHOUSE interviewed by Det S/C BOELEN and Det S/C STJEPIC. EDHOUSE became aggressive toward police when interviewed and refused to speak with investigators. No statement obtained and no additional information surrendered.435 [Emphasis added]
During the inquest it became clear that while Mr Edhouse was overseas in November 2024, he had been in touch with at least one of the witnesses called to give evidence at the inquest, namely Mr Heaton. During Mr Heaton’s evidence on 7 November 2024, he said he had spoken to Mr Edhouse the previous evening, and was also in touch with Mr Atkinson. Mr Heaton confirmed that Mr Edhouse was “overseas”, and that they had discussed the fact that Mr Heaton was required to appear in court. When Mr Heaton was asked whether he had discussed what he was going to say at the inquest with Mr Edhouse, his response was: “Not really. I just told him what was being in the focus this week and all that”.437,438
In any case, Mr Edhouse was served with a witness summons when he returned from Thailand to Perth, and he gave evidence at the inquest on 24 April 2025.
At the inquest, Mr Edhouse said he was aware of media reporting that he had been involved in Lisa’s disappearance, and said that in 1999 he “would have seen (Lisa) around” and been drinking at the same hotels as her on various occasions, but “probably would not have known (Lisa’s) name at that stage”.439
Nevertheless, Mr Edhouse claimed he had never had any discussions with either Mr Atkinson or Mr Smith about what had happened to Lisa. Frankly, I find this evidence impossible to believe, and at the inquest Mr Edhouse and I had the following exchange about this issue: Coroner Jenkin: Can you accept it’s very difficult for me to believe that you haven’t spoken to Mr Atkinson, who’s a very good friend of yours, and Mr Smith, who’s a good friend of yours…about Lisa’s disappearance, when all three of you have been arrested by the police on suspicion of either her murder or of being an accessory after the fact of her murder? You must have spoken about it, mustn’t you?
Mr Edhouse: No. I understand you may find it difficult, but I’m telling you we have not, and I’m not too sure what the other two have said, but we’ve - there’s nothing to discuss as far as - well, as far as I was concerned.440 437 ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), pp290-291 & 294 438 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp381-382 439 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp381-383 440 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp405 & 406-407
However, Mr Edhouse agreed that he had regularly attended the Safari Club, and he confirmed that on 23 April 2025, Counsel Assisting (Ms Markham) had shown him CCTV footage taken in the laneway next to Safari Club in the early hours of 8 October 1999 showing him and Lisa standing together. Although Mr Edhouse claimed he could not recall being in the laneway with Lisa, he also said: “I’m not denying that - that it, well, could possibly be me”.442
On the basis of all of the available evidence, I am satisfied that Mr Edhouse and Lisa were standing close together, in what may have been an embrace, in the laneway outside the Safari Club at around 4.30 am on 8 October 1999. Further, despite the fact that Mr Edhouse claims that he cannot recall going to the Clubhouse that morning, I am satisfied that he and Lisa travelled separately to the Clubhouse after their interaction in the laneway.
Although Mr Edhouse claimed that he did not know Mr Taulanga, Ms Richards, or Mr Nathan, I also find that all of these people (along with Mr Atkinson, Ms Davis, and Ms Richards) went to the Clubhouse in the early hours of the morning of 8 October 1999. Although Mr Edhouse claimed that he could not recall cutting his hand on the stubby he had smashed on the bar at the Clubhouse that morning, he agreed he did know a person called “Dingo” - who was the person Ms Richards says she had been talking to Mr Edhouse about when he became angry and smashed the stubby.443,444,445
When Mr Edhouse was asked whether he had been “fresh” with Lisa at the Clubhouse on 8 October 1999 and placed his hands under her skirt (as Mr Davis recalled him doing), his response was: “(I) could have done. Yes. I don’t recall but - yes”.446 However, Mr Edhouse claimed he had no knowledge of what had happened to Lisa after she was last seen that morning at about 7.30 am, notwithstanding the evidence before me that he and Mr Atkinson were the last two people to have been seen with Lisa when she was alive.
441 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), p383 442 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp392-393 443 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp395-396 444 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 22.1, Statement - Mr B Taulanga (22.10.99), p7 445 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 20.2, Statement - Ms C Richards (08.11.17), paras 35-37 446 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp402 & 411
Mr Edhouse: Yes. I can understand what you’re saying, but my explanation is I - I haven’t got one. I just don’t recall that evening or that night.448
At the inquest, Mr Edhouse’s attention was drawn to the evidence Mr Edwards had given about Mr Smith telling him that he (Mr Smith) had witnessed Mr Edhouse “stomp” on Lisa’s head as she lay on the Clubhouse floor near the pool table on the morning of 8 October 1999. Mr Edhouse said he did not recall speaking to Mr Smith that morning, and he emphatically denied he had ever assaulted Lisa or “stomped” on her head, saying: Well, that’s something I probably, - I imagine I would have remembered and that didn’t happen. That’s a bit different to remembering whether (indistinct) a girl in front of a nightclub, or if you asked me if I stomped on some sheila’s head, I’m saying I definitely did not…I’m saying I definitely did not jump on anyone’s head.449
Mr Edhouse also said he “did not know” and “wouldn’t have a clue” whether Lisa had used cocaine and overdosed at the Clubhouse, although he also said that “If someone overdosed, I’m sure I would have known about it”.450
Mr Edhouse said: “I - I definitely did not - was not involved with the disappearance of Lisa”. At the conclusion of his evidence, Mr Edhouse was asked whether there was anything else he wished to say to Lisa’s family and his response was: “No, your Honour”.451 447 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp412-413 448 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), p413 449 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp401-402 450 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp401-402 451 ts 24.04.25 (Edhouse), pp410 & 416
Some of these witnesses gave more than one statement to police, and together their statements (and witness summaries) total many hundreds of pages.
In my view it is neither feasible nor necessary to detail every aspect of each witnesses’ statement(s) and instead, in the section of this finding that follows, I have presented a brief summary of each witnesses’ evidence. In the absence of any more logical arrangement, I have presented these summaries in alphabetical order.
Several of the witnesses called at the inquest also gave a statement (or in some cases, several statements) to police. In respect of these witnesses, I have not summarised the evidence in their statements in the section below because I have already dealt with their evidence earlier in this finding.
In some cases, the fact that multiple witnesses have given consistent accounts of particular events has meant that I have been able to make findings, to the relevant standard, about those matters. However, in other cases, the available evidence is simply too vague or improbable and/or is inconsistent with other evidence.
The Act provides that when holding an inquest a coroner is not bound by the rules of evidence, and that a coroner may inform themselves “in any manner (the coroner) reasonably thinks fit”.453 Whilst the working of that section is unsurprising, given the Act’s focus on the investigation of Western Australian deaths, it does not permit a coroner to make of findings (to the relevant standard) on the basis of flimsy or insufficient evidence.
Whilst the evidence summarised in the following section contains a great deal of information about Lisa’s movements up to the time she was last seen on the morning of 8 October 1999, the evidence about what happened to Lisa after that point is non-existent.
452 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23) and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp10-50 453 Section 41, Coroners Act 1996 (WA)
[2025] WACOR 21 Nasir Ali454,455
In 1999, Mr Nasir Ali (who is now deceased) was a chef at the Lodge, and he had met Lisa in 1998 when he worked at another premises in Leonora. Mr Ali says that sometime during the morning of 8 October 1999, a man (i.e.: Mr Hammel) came to the Lodge asking to speak with Ms Svilicich. Mr Ali says he took Mr Hammel to Ms Svilicich’s room (i.e.: Room 30) and knocked on the door, and when she opened her door he (Mr Ali) walked off.
Mr Ali says a short time later, Ms Svilicich told him the man was Lisa’s boyfriend, and that “he was crazy”. Ms Svilicich said she had to shift rooms, and told Mr Ali she had left Lisa at the Safari Club (earlier that morning) before coming home.456,
Mr Ali says about an hour later Mr Hammel (who “looked real worked up”) returned to the Lodge looking for Ms Svilicich. Mr Ali said “to protect (Ms Svilicich)” he told Mr Hammel she had gone out and he was unsure when she would be back.457
Mr Ali says that later that afternoon, Mr Hammel returned to the Lodge as the passenger in a tow truck which had a motorcycle on the back. The side of Mr Hammel’s face was “smashed up”, and he went to Room 30 looking for Ms Svilicich, but as noted she had changed rooms. Mr Ali says he then saw Ms Svilicich come out of her new room, and he told her to go back inside so that Mr Hammel wouldn’t see her458,
Mr Ali says that as Mr Hammel left the Lodge he said: “Tell Paula (Ms Svilicich) to fucking ring me”. Later, when Mr Ali went to check on Ms Svilicich, he noticed that the door to Room 30 had been “smashed in”.
Mr Ali says the doors at the Lodge were “solid” and “it would have taken a fair bit of force to smash the door in”.459 454 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 45, Statement - Mr N Ali (01.11.99) 455 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp44-45 456 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 45, Statement - Mr N Ali (01.11.99) 457 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 45, Statement - Mr N Ali (01.11.99) 458 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 45, Statement - Mr N Ali (01.11.99) 459 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 45, Statement - Mr N Ali (01.11.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Damian Andrews460,461
In 1999, Mr Damian Andrews was working as an apprentice mechanic and he says he had known Mr Smith “for about 6 - 9 months”, having met him “out in the bush”. In the statement he gave police on 26 October 1999, Mr Andrews says about two weeks earlier at about 7.30 am, he saw Mr Smith’s Holden Rodeo tray-top vehicle outside the Compound.462,463
Mr Andrews says Mr Smith was just about to walk through the Clubhouse and he stopped and spoke with him for a few minutes about borrowing Mr Smith’s dune buggy. Mr Andrews thinks Mr Smith’s “other worker” (whose name he didn’t know) was in Mr Smith’s vehicle, but Mr Andrews did not recall any other person at or around the Clubhouse.464,465 Jamie Barrett466,467,468
In 1999, Mr Jamie Barrett worked at KAL, and he says that at about 10.30 am on 7 October 1999, he was at the Exchange Hotel, when someone told him Lisa wanted to speak with him outside. Mr Barrett spoke with Lisa (who seemed intoxicated), and told her she was not to return to work at KAL because she had “stuffed up too many times”. Mr Barrett says Lisa told him she wanted to leave Mr Hammel and return to “skimping”.469
Mr Barrett says he saw Lisa again at De Bernales at about 11.00 pm, and again at about 2.00 am on 8 October 1999 at the Safari Club. He and Lisa spoke about why she was not to return to work, and Lisa again mentioned wanting to leave Mr Hammel and head north to do “skimpy work”. Mr Barrett says that at “closing time” he, Lisa and another person (Mr Ahiataewa Winiata) got into a taxi, which Lisa had requested using her mobile phone.
A short time after getting into the taxi, Lisa said she wanted to return to the Safari Club so that a friend of hers was not left alone. Lisa got out of the taxi, and Mr Barrett says he last saw her at about 5.00 am. Mr Barrett says that after he got home, he called Lisa several times but there was no answer.
460 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 27, Handwritten Statement - Mr D Andrews (26.10.99) & Tab 27.1, Statement - Mr D Andrews (28.10.99) 461 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p26 462 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 27, Handwritten Statement - Mr D Andrews (26.10.99) 463 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 27.1, Statement (28.10.99) - Mr D Andrews 464 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 27, Handwritten Statement - Mr D Andrews (26.10.99) 465 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 27.1, Statement (28.10.99) - Mr D Andrews 466 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 13, Hand written statement - Mr J Barrett (10.10.99) 467 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 13.1, Statement - Mr J Barrett (18.10.99) 468 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p13 469 Skimping appears to be a reference to “skimpy” bar work, where female bar staff work while scantily clad
[2025] WACOR 21 Natalie & John Bell470,471,472
At about 2.00 pm on 8 October 1999, Ms Natalie Bell had just collected her husband (Mr John Bell) from work, and she was driving on Burt Street towards Boulder. As Ms Bell approached the intersection of Keegan Street, a Harley Davidson motorcycle and its rider (Mr Hammel) slid across the road in front of their car and came to rest in the middle of the road. Ms Bell says Mr Hammel was wearing an old black helmet, and had “a big chunk of skin off his right palm which was bleeding” and a graze on his right cheek which was also bleeding.473
In his statement, Mr Bell says that Mr Hammel had “skin off his face and off his right elbow” and had ripped one of the knees of his jeans “but not too bad”.
Mr Bell also said Mr Hammel’s jacket was “a bit ripped at the elbow”.
Mr Hammel wheeled his motorcycle to the side of the road, and although he initially declined offers of help, he eventually accepted a lift, and Ms Bell dropped him at the Boulder Post Office.
Ms Bell says Mr Hammel smelt of alcohol and cigarettes, and although Mr Bell said: “I couldn’t smell alcohol on him at all”, he also said Mr Hammel: “was either drunk or on hooch, maybe even in shock I don’t know”.474,475
During the short ride to the post office, Mr Bell tried to engage Mr Hammel in conversation, but Mr Hammel “wasn’t very receptive”. When Ms Bell asked Mr Hammel if he had been hit by a car, he replied: “I’ve been having trouble with my brakes and they let go on me”.476,477 John Bennet478,479
Mr John Bennet says he first met Lisa in early 1999 at the Exchange Hotel and that she was “a very talkative person and always seemed good natured and happy”. Mr Bennet saw Lisa at the Safari Club when he went there about 1.00 am on 8 October 1999. Lisa told him she had lost her job (or been sacked) and would have to find another job “sooner or later”. After having some drinks, Mr Bennet felt tired and decided to go home.480 470 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 46, Statement - Ms N Bell (18.10.99) 471 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 47 - Statement - Mr J Bell (18.10.99) 472 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p46 473 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 46, Statement - Ms N Bell (18.10.99) 474 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 46, Statement - Ms N Bell (18.10.99) 475 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 47, Statement - Mr J Bell (18.10.99) 476 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 46, Statement - Ms N Bell (18.10.99) 477 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 47, Statement - Mr J Bell (18.10.99) 478 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 12, Statement - Mr J Bennet (10.10.99) 479 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp12-13 480 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 12, Statement - Mr J Bennet (10.10.99)
Barry Blackman481,482
Mr Barry Blackman was a machine operator at a gold mine in Kalgoorlie. After finishing his shift on 8 October 1999, Mr Blackman and others went to the Recreation Hotel at about 6.00 am Mr Blackman says that at about 9.00 am, a friend of his introduced him to Mr Hammel (who he later identified after looking at a police photo board).
Mr Blackman says Mr Hammel was “wound up like a clock spring and agitated like he was ready to hot someone”, and had “that mad look in his eye”.
Mr Blackman says Mr Hammel was saying things like “fucking cunt, I’ve got to sort shit out”, and although he had only just met Mr Hammel, he bought him a “Jim Bean & Cola can” because he thought this might help him “cool down”.
Mr Blackman says he can’t recall anything else about what Mr Hammel said, “just that he was upset and he had shit to sort out. He was really pissed off”.483 John Blaxendell484,485
When police went to Mr Blaxendell’s house to speak with him on 2 November 2017, Mr Blaxendell said: “Fuck off you cunts, I’m not talking” and slammed his front door. When Police asked Mr Blaxendell for his partner’s mobile number, he opened his front door and gave police the number before closing the door again.490 Desmond Boyd491,492
Mr Desmond Boyd was a taxi driver in Kalgoorlie and at about 4.30 am on 8 October 1999, he was in his vehicle at a taxi rank some distance from the Safari Club. Mr Boyd says two young women and a man got into his taxi and asked to be taken to the “Deroes Club House” in Boulder Road.
One of the women (who Mr Boyd later identified as Lisa) sat in the rear passenger seat and was wearing a black mini dress, black top, and black jacket.
She had a sight build and fair shoulder length hair. Mr Boyd says he drove the group to the Clubhouse and although he could not recall what was discussed during the trip, to his knowledge “both females were slightly intoxicated but appeared happy to go with the male.493 Lisa Brassington494,495
In 1999, Ms Lisa Brassington worked with Lisa at KAL. After finishing her shift at about 7.15 am on 6 October 1999, Ms Brassington says she and others went to the Recreation Hotel for some drinks and while there, Lisa “mentioned she had had enough and that she wanted to leave Tim her boyfriend”.496
Ms Brassington says that at about 8.00 am, the group decided to go to the Exchange Hotel, but when they arrived there, a female bar worker ordered Lisa out. After Lisa had left Ms Brassington asked the bar worker why Lisa was told to leave. The bar worker said Lisa had been found in the male toilets with a male who had a syringe in his arm, and as a result she had been banned from the hotel for three months. Ms Brassington says she walked outside and spoke with Lisa who told her she had nothing to do with the “guy in the toilet”, and that the bar worker had “some type of vendetta against her as she (Lisa) dated some bikie guy that (the bar worker) knew”.497 490 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 36.1, Viper Running Sheet - Operation Seafloor (02.11.17) 491 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 19, Statement - Mr D Boyd (13.10.99) 492 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p17 493 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 19, Statement - Mr D Boyd (13.10.99) 494 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 9, Statement - Ms L Brassington (24.11.99) 495 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p12 496 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 9, Statement - Ms L Brassington (24.11.99) 497 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 9, Statement - Ms L Brassington (24.11.99)
At about 9.30 pm, Ms Brassington says she and some others walked to De Bernales where she saw Lisa and Ms Svilicich. Lisa was wearing a short black mini skirt with a white pattern on it, black high heels, and a black top.498 Valerie Cain499,500
In 1999, Ms Valerie Cain was doing casual bar work at the Country Club, and she says she recalled seeing Lisa there sometime around 8.00 pm to 8.30 pm on 7 October 1999. Ms Cain said Lisa was wearing a “very short tight black skirt”, but she couldn’t recall any other clothing or items Lisa “may have had”.
Ms Cain did not recall seeing Lisa leave, but assumed Lisa did so about 11.00 pm, as she was with a group of pool players who left around that time.
Nicola Coleman501,502
In 1999, Ms Nicole Coleman was employed as a dancer and was she working at the Exchange Hotel. After finishing her shift around midnight on 8 October 1999, she and a friend went to the Safari Club. Ms Coleman says that when the Safari Club closed at 4.45 am, she spoke to a person (she later found out was Lisa) who was “pretty drunk”. Ms Coleman says Lisa went downstairs and got into a taxi with some friends, before getting out of the taxi a short time later and coming up to Ms Coleman and her friend outside the Safari Club.
Ms Coleman described an interaction between Lisa and a person she knew as “Crowey” (i.e.: Mr Edhouse), but was unaware of any argument between Lisa, Mr Edhouse and/or Mr Atkinson. Ms Coleman says a short time later she, Lisa, and Mr Atkinson caught a taxi to the Clubhouse, and that shortly before this she had seen Mr Edhouse “hit a bloke” but didn’t know what the incident was about.
In her second statement to police (on 22 October 1999) Ms Coleman says she had decided to drop Lisa off at a taxi rank in Hannan Street because “Lisa was too drunk and should go home and get some sleep”. However, Ms Coleman says Lisa said she wanted to come to the Clubhouse and that she had “known Crowey for a while”. Ms Coleman says no one was at the Clubhouse when she, Lisa, and Mr Atkinson arrived at about 5.00 am, but that a short time later they were joined by Mr Edhouse, Ms Richards, an unknown female, and Mr Nathan who went to sleep on a couch after playing a game of pool with her.503 498 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 9, Statement - Ms L Brassington (24.11.99) 499 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 7, Statement - Ms V Cain (04.11.99) 500 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p12 501 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 18, 18.1 & 18.2, Statements - Ms N Coleman (13.10.99, 22.10.99 & 12.01.18) 502 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp16-17 503 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 18.1, Statement - Ms N Coleman (22.10.99)
Ms Coleman says people were playing pool and having drinks, and that Lisa was “really drunk” and was “hassling (Mr Edhouse) in a way that she was always in his face but happy and he didn’t seem to mind”. At some stage, Ms Richards mentioned the name of an ex-member of Club Deroes, and this caused Mr Edhouse to angrily tell her not to mention that person’s name, before he smashed a stubbie on the bar.504
Ms Coleman says she didn’t see anyone “partner up” or leave the Clubhouse by themselves, and she left to walk back to Exchange Hotel at about 6.00 am or 6.30 am on 8 October 1999. At that time, Lisa was playing pool with Mr Edhouse, and putting her arms around him with her face close to his face.
In the statement she gave police on 12 January 2018, Ms Coleman says she recalled seeing Mr Edhouse and Lisa cuddling and kissing in the early hours of 8 October 1999, and that it seemed to her the pair had “just hooked up that night rather than being boyfriend and girlfriend”. Ms Coleman also says she later spoke with Mr Nathan at the Exchange Hotel at about 1.00 pm, and he told her that when he woke up in the Clubhouse, everyone had gone. Ms Coleman says she did not see Lisa again, and that she (Ms Coleman) left Kalgoorlie on 10 October 1999.505 Raymond Collis506,507
Mr Raymond Collis says that about 8.30 pm on 7 October 1999, he went to the Country Club to play in a pool competition. He met his friend Mr Delbridge there, who introduced him to two women, one of whom was Lisa. Mr Collis says Lisa was dressed “in mostly black clothes with a short dress and a black long sleeve top”.508
Mr Collis says that at about 11.30 pm, he gave Lisa lift to De Bernales, where she said: “she had to meet someone”. Mr Collis said Lisa was “a little bit agitated” as if she was running late, and she told Mr Collis she had to meet someone who Mr Collis presumed “was her boyfriend”. After dropping Lisa off opposite De Bernales, Mr Collis says he drove back to the Country Club, and that he didn’t see Lisa again that night.509 504 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 17, Statement - Ms A Powell (22.10.99) 505 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 18.2, Statement - Ms N Coleman (12.01.18) 506 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 6, Statement - Mr R Collis (21.10.99) 507 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp11-12 508 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 6, Statement - Mr R Collis (21.10.99) 509 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 6, Statement - Mr R Collis (21.10.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Roimata Davis510,511
In 1999, Ms Davis (who is now deceased) worked behind the bar at the Safari Club. Ms Davis confirmed that Lisa, Mr Edhouse, Mr Atkinson, Ms Richards, Mr Nathan, and her boyfriend Mr Taulanga (who was employed as a DJ) were all at the Safari Club during the early hours of 8 October 1999. Ms Davis says that after the bar had closed at about 4.00 am Lisa had approached her and asked for “two shooters she had thought up herself”. Ms Davis told her the bar was closed and Lisa, who appeared “slightly intoxicated” was “happy and understanding” about not being served.512
Once the Safari Club had closed, Ms Davis says Mr Taulanga told her to “hurry up” as everyone was going to the Clubhouse. Ms Davis went downstairs and saw Mr Nathan and Mr Edhouse in the vicinity of a police car, although she was unsure if they were talking to police or not. Ms Davis says that the men walked over to Mr Taulanga’s car, and that she and Mr Taulanga took Mr Edhouse, Mr Nathan and Ms Richards to the Clubhouse, before returning to the Clubhouse after driving to Mr Taulanga’s house to drop off his DJ equipment.
Ms Davis says that when she and Mr Taulanga returned to the Clubhouse, loud music was playing and people were playing pool and drinking. At about 6.00 am, Ms Davis saw Mr Nathan go to sleep on a couch, and at about 6.15 am, she saw Mr Edhouse smash a glass stubbie on the bar and cut his hand after Ms Richards had mentioned the name of an ex-member of Club Deroes.
Ms Davis says she gave Mr Edhouse a towel for his hand which was “bleeding quite bad”.513
510 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99) 511 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp18-19 512 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99) 513 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99) 514 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 21, Statement - Ms R Davis (26.10.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Jeffrey Delbridge515,516
Mr Jeff Delbridge was at the Country Club on 7 October 1999 with Ms Svilicich, who he had spoken with on several previous occasions. When Lisa arrived at about 8.00 pm, Ms Svilicich introduced him to her, and Mr Delbridge he says Lisa was wearing “a fairly short black skirt, a short sleeved lace black top and a black leather jacket”.
Lisa told Mr Delbridge she worked at “the assay labs in Kalgoorlie” and had a few days off from work, although as I have explained this wasn’t the case, and in fact Lisa’s employment with KAL had been terminated. Mr Delbridge says that at about 10.30 pm, Lisa said she wanted to leave, but was too scared to walk down a laneway to another bar called De Bernales.
Mr Delbridge says Lisa asked if they could call her a taxi, but a friend of his (i.e.: Mr Collis) offered to give Lisa a lift to De Bernales, which she accepted.
Mr Delbridge says Mr Collis returned about five minutes later and Ms Svilicich stayed until the end of a pool competition, which finished at about 11.00 pm.
Michael Donaghy517,518
In 1999, Mr Michael Donaghy was working in Kalgoorlie, and he says that sometime between 5.45 am and 6.00 am on a Friday “in early October 1999” he saw a woman (who he later thought resembled Lisa) standing outside the front of “the Battery Centre”, which he was aware was “the clubhouse for a bikie gang”. The woman was short and slim and had “mousey brown” shoulder length hair. Mr Donaghy says that although he was unable to say how old the woman was, he could tell from her legs that “she was not an old lady”.519
Mr Donaghy says the woman was wearing a black mini skirt and black tight fitting top with lacy arms, but was not wearing a jacket. Mr Donaghy says the woman was talking to a man in his mid-twenties standing in the doorway of the Battery Centre (i.e.: the Clubhouse). Mr Donaghy says the man was “a good head taller” and had a solid build, and a blonde moustache and goatee.
Mr Donaghy said the man and woman “appeared to be just chatting” and “There was nothing unusual about their behaviour”.520 515 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 5, Statement - Mr J Delbridge (15.10.99) 516 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p11 517 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 28, Statement - Mr M Donaghy (19.10.99) 518 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p28 519 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 28, Statement - Mr M Donaghy (19.10.99) 520 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 28, Statement - Mr M Donaghy (19.10.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Michelle Donegan521,522
Ms Donegan says she had to ask Lisa several times how to make the drink and was satisfied Lisa was not drunk.
Ms Donegan also says Lisa was with woman with blonde coloured hair (who presumably was Ms Svilicich), and that Lisa and the other woman had left the Shaft Bar by the time she (Ms Donegan) finished her shift at about 3.00 am.523 Steven Edginton524,525
In 1999, Mr Steven Edginton (who is now deceased) was the owner of a business called “Steve’s Towing”. Mr Edgington says that at about 2.00 pm on 8 October 1999 he received a call from Mr Hamel who said he had fallen off his motorbike and needed a tow.
Mr Edginton says he and his “offsider” met Mr Hammel at the Boulder Post Office, and they drove the intersection of Keegan and Burt Streets in Boulder where Mr Hammel’s damaged motorbike was located. Mr Edginton says he noticed that Mr Hammel had grazes down one side of his face, but that his clothing did not appear to be ripped.
Mr Hammel told Mr Edginton “he was trying to look for his girlfriend and that he was a bit pissed off with her”. Mr Hammel’s motorbike had sustained damage to its petrol tank, and the kick starter was bent under the exhaust meaning the motorcycle couldn’t be started. Mr Hammel told Mr Edginton the motorbike’s back brakes “weren’t working too well” and he had been relying on his front brakes and had lost control. Mr Edginton and his offsider loaded Mr Hammel’s motorbike onto the tow truck and drove him home via the Lodge, where Mr Hammel spoke with Mr Ali for a few minutes.526 521 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 10, Statement - Ms M Donnegan (11.11.99) 522 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p12 523 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 10, Statement - Ms M Donnegan (11.11.99) 524 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 48 & 48.1, Statements - Mr S Edginton (13.10.99 & 18.10.99) 525 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp46-47 526 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 48 & 48.1, Statements - Mr S Edginton (13.10.99 & 18.10.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Richard Fulker527,528
In 1999, Mr Richard Fulker worked at Komatsu Kalgoorlie, and at about 5.45 am on 8 October 1999, he sent to the Recreation Hotel with others after finishing his shift. At some point during the morning he saw his colleague (Mr Blackman) talking to a man he hardly knew (but later identified as Mr Hammel) who was massaging his left hand as if he had injured it at work.
A short time later, Mr Fulker joined Mr Blackman and says he heard Mr Hammel say something along the lines of “he had trouble with his missus and some other guy”. Although Mr Fulker didn’t ask, he assumed Mr Hammel’s partner was “having an affair with another man”, and Mr Hammel seemed “angry” but “wasn’t threatening to hurt the other guy”.
Mr Fulker also says Mr Hammel left the bar at about 11.00 am.529 Kelly Glass530,531
In 1999 Ms Kelly Glass was Mr Hope’s defacto partner, and although she was spoken to by police on 27 October 1999, she declined to participate in a formal interview. Ms Glass says that on 7 October 1999, she and Mr Hope were at the Safari Club but that she definitely did not see Lisa, who she knew as a patron at the Exchange Hotel where Ms Glass worked. Ms Glass says she and Mr Hope went home in a taxi at about 2.30 am on 8 October 1999.
On the afternoon of 8 October 1999, Ms Glass says she was at work when she saw Mr Hammel, who she also knew as a patron of the Exchange Hotel.
Mr Hammel had a graze “on one of his cheeks”, but Ms Glass did not ask him about it, and says she flew to Perth 11 October 1999. Ms Glass says she last saw Lisa about two weeks before she (Lisa) had disappeared.532 Salih Havich533,534
527 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 55, Statement - Mr R Fulker (28.10.99) 528 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p46 529 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 55, Statement - Mr R Fulker (28.10.99) 530 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 38, Notes of conversation - Ms K Glass (27.10.99) 531 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p39 532 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 38, Notes of conversation - Ms K Glass (27.10.99) 533 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 15, Statement - Mr S Havich (19.10.99) 534 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p15
The young woman was with two young men (i.e.: Mr Barrett and Mr Winiata), and shortly after getting into the taxi, the young woman (i.e.: Lisa) asked to go back to the Safari Club. Mr Havich says the young woman (Lisa) had said she “was worried about her friend and wanted to go back to the night club”.535,536 Craig Hill537,538,539
In 1999, Mr Craig Hill was a member of Club Deroes, and although he was spoken to by police on 28 October 1999, he declined to participate in a formal interview. Mr Hill said on 8 October 1999, he had arrived in Kalgoorlie at about 12.00 pm to visit his dog who had been bitten by a snake and was receiving treatment at the Kalgoorlie Veterinary Hospital on Boulder Road in Kalgoorlie.
After visiting his dog, Mr Hill says he walked over the road to the Clubhouse but no one was there. Mr Hill denied speaking with Officers Stjepic and Reid at the Clubhouse that day, and his assertion is supported by the fact that he was issued with a traffic infringement at 9.02 am on 8 October 1999 in Kellerberrin, about 390 km from Kalgoorlie.
Heather Hill540,541
Ms Heather Hill was employed at the Bunnings store in Boulder Street across the road from the Compound and the Foundry Hotel. At 7.15 am to 7.30 am on 8 October 1999, Ms Hill says she saw a young woman (who she later identified as Lisa) standing in front of the Foundry Hotel. Lisa was wearing a short black skirt and black jacket, and had a shoulder bag, and Ms Hill says two men walked towards Lisa “from the biker address along the footpath”. One of the males had a heavy build, and Ms Hill saw this man (who must have been Mr Atkinson) pull down his jeans and expose himself before standing up.
Ms Hill says that Lisa walked towards the man as he pulled up his jeans, and Lisa and the two men walked towards the Clubhouse through the double gates at the front of the Compound. Ms Hill lost sight of the group as they walked through the gates and this was the last time she saw any movement “from the house”. Ms Hill also says: “[E]verything appeared normal and appeared as if they were friends when they approached each other and walked away”.542 535 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 13, Hand written statement - Mr J Barrett (10.10.99) 536 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 13.1, Statement - Mr J Barrett (18.10.99) 537 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 35, Notes of conversation - Mr C Hill (28.10.99) 538 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 35.1 & 35.2, Traffic Infringement documents - Mr C Hill (08.10.99) 539 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp36-37 540 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 26, Statement - Ms H Hill (16.10.99) 541 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p27 542 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 26, Statement - Ms H Hill (16.10.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Annahera Hunapo543,544
In 1999, Ms Annahera Hunapo worked at KAL and she and Lisa were work colleagues. After finishing work at about 7.00 am on 6 October 1999, Ms Hunapo (and some others) were going for drinks at the Recreation Hotel in Kalgoorlie, and she asked Lisa to come. While they were at the hotel, Ms Hunapo says Lisa’s mobile was “ringing a lot”, and many of these calls were “from Lisa’s boyfriend”.545
Ms Hunapo says Lisa was also receiving calls about owing $200. Ms Hunapo says she didn’t know whether these calls were from Lisa’s boyfriend or not, but she heard Lisa say: “I’ve got your $200 here, I’ve got your money here”.
Ms Hunapo also says Lisa seemed upset and that “During the phone calls, Lisa made comment that she didn’t want to go back to her boyfriend”.546
Ms Hunapo says that the group (including Lisa) left the Recreation Hotel and went to the Exchange Hotel. However, Lisa was not allowed in and one of the female bar staff told Ms Hunapo that Lisa had been banned from the hotel “for shooting up in the male toilets”. Ms Hunapo says that later “that night” (which is presumably a reference to 7 October 1999 rather than 6 October 1999) she and her boyfriend went to De Bernales at about 11.00 pm where they and saw Lisa and Ms Svilicich dancing together.547
Ms Hunapo had a “shooter” with Lisa who “was happy” and dressed in: “a black short top which was see through, short black skirt with a white strip around the bottom and black dress shoes”. Ms Hunapo also says Lisa was carrying a black bag, and that after she (Lisa) drank the shooter, Lisa went back to Ms Svilicich and two men who “were like in their fifties and fairly short”.548 Leonard Kemp549,550
In 1999, Mr Leonard Kemp was a taxi driver in Kalgoorlie, and he says that at about 8.00 pm on 7 October 1999, he collected Lisa from her home in Cassidy Street, Kalgoorlie and dropped her at the Country Club. Mr Kemp says Lisa was dressed in a black skirt and black jacket and that she “didn’t seem troubled in any way, she was quite happy”.
543 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 544 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p12 545 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 546 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 547 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 548 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 8, Statement - Ms A Hunapo (09.11.99) 549 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 4, Statement - Mr L Kemp (04.11.99) 550 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p10
[2025] WACOR 21 Judith Little551,552
In 1999 Ms Little was a taxi driver in Kalgoorlie, and she says she collected Mr Hammel from his home at about 5.00 pm on 8 October 1999. Ms Little noticed that Mr Hammel had injuries to his face and she drove him to an address she could not recall. but no one was home. Mr Hammel then asked to go to the Lodge where he stayed for about five minutes, before asking to be taken to “casualty” (i.e.: Kalgoorlie Hospital).
On the way to Kalgoorlie Hospital, Mr Hammel called someone on his mobile phone, and Ms Little says she heard him say he had been driving around looking for his girlfriend, and that it was unusual that she hadn’t called him. During the call Mr Hammel also said that he and Lisa had “domestics” in the past but she had had always come home.
Mr Hammel also said he “had come off his bike” and that she (Lisa) had been “hanging around” with a girl who lived at the Lodge (i.e.: Ms Svilicich).
Mr Hammel said he had gone to the Lodge and “kicked the door in but she (i.e.: Ms Svilicich) wasn’t there”.553
Ms Little also says she thought Mr Hammel would have been “a lot more injured” if he had come off his motorbike, and that she thought that he had been in fight rather than an accident.554
[2025] WACOR 21 Katie Low560,561
In an unsigned statement dated 14 November 2017, Ms Katie Low said that in October 1999 she was in a relationship with Mr Atkinson who she had met about three weeks earlier. Ms Low says she was living with Mr Atkinson in a house at the front of the Compound with Mr Edhouse and his girlfriend (Ms Joanne Whaite) and that “Crowie’s kid (male)” lived there too.562
Ms Low says that the first night she was living at the house, Mr Edhouse put a mop through her bedroom window because she had associated with “the Coffin Cheaters” and there was a “war” going on between the two clubs and Mr Edhouse thought she was “a spy”. Ms Low also said that Mr Edhouse “had a reputation that he was volatile and could be violent”.563
By the time Lisa went missing, Ms Low had been living in the house and “dating” Mr Atkinson for about three weeks. Ms Low says that while they were together, Mr Atkinson “was abusive” and he would beat her. Ms Low said this usually happened when Mr Atkinson was intoxicated, and that he had beaten her about eight times during the two and a half years they were together.564
Ms Low said she was “taking a lot of drugs” at the time and didn’t remember hearing anything during the night of 7 October 1999. When she woke up on 8 October 1999, Ms Low says she thinks music was playing in the Clubhouse but she didn’t go outside, and didn’t see anyone at the Clubhouse.565
In her statement, Ms Low also claims that in 2008 she was “on a date” with an associate of the Gypsy Jokers whose name she couldn’t recall.566 Ms Low says that over some drinks, the man told her that he had been drinking with Mr Atkinson (who was not a friend of his) and that Mr Atkinson had said he had killed Lisa, but that “it was an accident”.567
After careful consideration, I have concluded that the vagueness of Ms Low’s evidence, her history of polysubstance use, and the fact that her statement is unsigned, all mean that I ought not give her assertions about what she says she was told any significant weight.
560 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17) 561 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp34-35 562 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17), paras 3-19 563 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17), paras 21-22 564 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17), paras 31-40 565 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17) paras 25-27 & 51 566 Police have been unable to identify this person: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p35 567 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 32, Statement - Ms K Low (14.11.17), paras 81-87
[2025] WACOR 21 Melanie McLerie568,569
In October 1999, Ms McLerie was 15 years of age and she says she was living with her boyfriend’s parents in Boulder.
Ms McLerie says that one night she got out of bed and went downstairs to get a drink from the kitchen. Her boyfriend’s father (Trevor) was in the carport talking to Mr Smith and Ms McLerie says she overheard Mr Smith say: “something about a young girl being killed and that it was drug related. No name was mentioned. I didn’t hear Trevor say anything, it was just (Mr Smith) talking. Ms McLerie says she stepped back and as she did so Mr Smith looked up and saw her and told her to “keep her mouth shut”.570
Ms McLerie says she cannot recall the date she overheard this conversation, but it was before Lisa’s disappearance had been reported on the news. Ms McLerie also says that after Lisa’s disappearance was reported in the news, Mr Smith had told her that “(Lisa) was the person they were talking about” and Mr Smith again told her “to keep her mouth shut about it”. Ms McLerie says that when she had this conversation with Mr Smith she was in the carport and that Trevor was also present.571
Ms McLerie also says that Mr Smith had also said that if police had “looked in the shed better they might have found her”, and that she thought this was a reference to the Clubhouse.572 Given Ms McLerie’s age at the time she overheard the conversation she reported and the vagueness of her account, I have been unable to accord her evidence any weight.
Nevertheless, I note that in her statement Ms McLerie also says: I have held onto this information for a long time and I think the Govan family deserve to know what happened to her, to get closure. The bikies ran the town back then.573 568 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 57, Statement - Ms M McLerie (28.04.22) 569 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp26-27 570 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 57, Statement - Ms M McLerie (28.04.22), paras 11-17 571 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 57, Statement - Ms M McLerie (28.04.22), paras 17-22 572 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 57, Statement - Ms M McLerie (28.04.22), paras 23-26 573 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 57, Statement - Ms M McLerie (28.04.22), paras 38-39
[2025] WACOR 21 Raymond McPherson574,575
In 1999, Mr Raymond McPherson was working at Liquorland in Kalgoorlie, and he says that on 8 October 1999, he served a man he later identified as Mr Hammel. An “audit roll” receipt from a till in the Liquorland premises establishes that at 6.14 pm on 8 October 1999, Mr Hammel purchased a bottle of rum, a bottle of Coca-Cola, and a packet of cigarettes.
Mr McPherson says he noticed Mr Hammel “had a bit of a graze on his cheek” and looked “pretty depressed”, and when he asked what had happened, Mr Hammel said had “come off his bike” looking for Lisa. Mr MacPherson says Lisa was a regular customer and he assumed that she and Mr Hammel “had had a tiff”. Mr McPherson says when he told Mr Hammel he would keep “an ear out” if he “heard where (Lisa) was”, Mr Hammel had replied: “It’s not that sort of missing”. Mr McPherson says: “that took me back a bit as if he meant that she had vanished”.576 Troy Melbin577,578,579
When Mr Troy Melbin was spoken to by police in 2017 he said he had been associated with Club Deroes from 1993 until about 2014. Mr Melbin said he could not recall where he was on 8 October 1999, but that he was travelling between the Perth and Kalgoorlie chapters of Club Deroes at the time.
Mr Melbin also said he had never been present when Club Deroes members or associates had discussed Lisa, and he denied having any knowledge about her disappearance and/or the disposal of her remains.
Police spoke to Mr Melbin again at his home on 17 August 2022, and described him as initially appearing “quite nervous and uneasy”. Mr Melbin said he had been a member of Club Deroes but was “not involved anymore”.580
Mr Melbin denied being at the Clubhouse on 8 October 1999, despite being seen there by several witnesses. Mr Melbin also said he did not know what had happened to Lisa, and that he was “not really” in contact with Club Deroes members, although he alluded to “some loose contact with some unnamed ex-members”.581 574 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 53, Statement - Mr R McPherson (23.11.99) 575 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p48 576 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 53, Statement - Mr R McPherson (23.11.99) 577 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 34, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr T Melbin 578 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 34.1, Viper Print Action - Mr T Melbin 579 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p36 580 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 34, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr T Melbin & Tab 34.1, Viper Print Action - Mr T Melbin 581 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 34, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr T Melbin & Tab 34.1, Viper Print Action - Mr T Melbin
[2025] WACOR 21 Troy Miguel582,583
In 1999, Mr Troy Miguel worked at Komatsu Kalgoorlie and had known Mr Hammel for about two years. Mr Miguel says when he saw Mr Hammel at about 6.30 am on 8 October 1999, Mr Hammel told him he had been trying to ring Lisa (who Mr Miguel knew was his girlfriend) but he “couldn’t get her on the phone”.
Mr Miguel also says Mr Hammel appeared “worried” about Lisa and that later that afternoon, Mr Hammel called and told him that Lisa still hadn’t come home.
Mr Miguel says Mr Hammel didn’t know what to do and he told Mr Hammel to call the police. Mr Miguel’s assessment was that “Basically (Mr Hammel) seemed frantic that Lisa was missing and he didn’t know what to do”.584 Patrick Nathan585,586
In 1999, Mr Nathan was employed as a crowd controller in Kalgoorlie. He says that he went to the Safari Club at about 12.30 am on 8 October 1999, where he spoke with a woman (he later identified as Lisa), as well as “Crowey” (i.e.: Mr Edhouse) and John (i.e.: Mr Hope), who he knew as Club Deroes members.587
Mr Nathan says that at about 4.00 am, he was driven to the Clubhouse by Mr Taulanga and his girlfriend Ms Davis, as well as “a couple of bikies from the Club Deroes motorcycle club” who he identified as “Crowey” and “John” in a later statement. Mr Nathan says he consumed alcohol to the point where he was “under the influence but not drunk” and that when he arrived at the Clubhouse, he had one beer before falling asleep on a couch.
Mr Nathan says the next thing he knew was that at about 9.30 am, “Trevor” (i.e.: Mr Atkinson), who Mr Nathan knew of as a “nominee” of Club Deroes woke him up and he (Mr Nathan) left as he had to attend court.588 Mr Nathan says he “did not see Lisa at the Clubhouse that night” and that when he left the Clubhouse at about 9.30 am, apart from Mr Atkinson “no other person was there”.589 582 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 42, Statement - Mr T Miguel (09.11.99) 583 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p43 584 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 42, Statement - Mr T Miguel (09.11.99), p2 585 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 23 & 23.1-23.4, Statements - Mr P Nathan (13.10.99, 21.10.99, 23.05.18, 25.07.18 & 14.11.22) 586 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp20-21 587 At the inquest, Mr Heaton denied being a “patched member” of Club Deroes: ts 06.11.24 (Heaton), p290 588 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 23 & 23.1-23.4, Statements - Mr P Nathan (13.10.99, 21.10.99, 23.05.18, 25.07.18 & 14.11.22) 589 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tabs 23 & 23.1, Statements - Mr P Nathan (13.10.99 & 21.10.99)
In the statement he gave police in 2018, Mr Nathan says Lisa may have been at the Clubhouse on 8 October 1999, but that he wasn’t sure.590 In the statement he gave police in 2022, Mr Nathan denied he had ever been asked to join Club Deroes, and he repeated his earlier denials of having anything to do with Lisa’s disappearance, saying: “Whatever happened I didn’t see it and I am not trying to cover anything up”.591 Anna Powell592,593
On 8 October 1999, Ms Anna Powell was working at Monty’s Restaurant in Kalgoorlie. Sometime between 5.15 am and 5.30 am, Ms Powell says she saw two young men and a young woman wearing a black skirt, black jacket, and black knee-high boots (who she later identified as Lisa). Ms Powell saw the trio walk from the direction of Safari Club and got into a taxi that “crawl(ed) off away from Monty’s along Porter Street away from Hannan Street”.594
Ms Powell also says she saw a number of people she knew standing outside the Safari Club including Rana (i.e.: Ms Torbett), Mr Atkinson, and “Crowy” (i.e.: Mr Edhouse). Ms Powell also saw a police van pull up outside the Safari Club and she thinks she recalls a police officer speaking with someone “out the front of the nightclub”.595 Annette Rance596,597,598
In her statement to police, Ms Annette Rance says that in October 1999 she was a bar attendant at the Exchange Hotel, and that she had known Lisa for about three years. Ms Rance says that on 8 October 1999 although she was due to start work at 7.00 am, she was running late that day.
Ms Rance says that she saw Lisa driving a white Valliant utility along Boulder Road just before 7.15 am on 8 October 1999, and that this was the last time she saw her. Ms Rance also says that at about 10.00 am on 8 October 1999, she saw Mr Hammel at the Exchange Hotel. Mr Hammel consumed a can of “Bundy and cola” and left 20 to 30 minutes later.
590 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 23.3, Statement - Mr P Nathan (25.07.18) 591 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 23.4, Statement - Mr P Nathan (14.11.22) 592 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 17, Statement - Ms A Powell (22.10.99) 593 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp14-15 594 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 17, Statement - Ms A Powell (22.10.99) 595 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 17, Statement - Ms A Powell (22.10.99) 596 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 43, Statement - Ms A Rance (26.10.99) 597 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 43.1, Statement - Ms A Rance (27.10.99) 598 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp43-44
Ms Rance says that after finishing work on 9 October1999, she rented a video from Blockbuster Video to watch that night. During the evening, Ms Thomas says she called Ms Rance to say that Mr Hammel was “really worried” about Lisa and was chasing a phone number. Ms Rance says she called Mr Hammel and gave him an address for the person he was chasing as she didn’t have the person’s phone number. Mr Hammel sounded “really worried”, and Ms Rance said she had not heard from him since.599,600
It seems likely that Ms Rance’s recollections of relevant events may be faulty.
Police enquiries have determined that timesheets from the Exchange Hotel on 8 October 1999 show Ms Rance did not arrive late as she claimed. Further, Ms Rance did not rent a video from Blockbuster Video on 9 October 1999, but rather had rented a video from the business on 16 October 1999.601 Trevor Roberts602,603
In 1999, Mr Trevor Roberts was the regional manager of a construction company. He says that as he was driving to work along Boulder Road on 8 October 1999, he saw a young woman (who he later identified as Lisa) in the vicinity of a Chicken Treat outlet. Mr Roberts says he usually drove to work between 6.45 am and 7.15 am, and that Lisa was wearing a black dress and dark shoes, with a black jacket over her shoulders. Sometime later Mr Roberts had to leave work and as he drove down Boulder Road, he saw Lisa standing outside the Clubhouse with two men. Mr Roberts says the group “were standing around in conversation” and that “Nothing looked out of the ordinary”.604 Kevin Reilly605
Although he was dismissed from the Western Australian Police Force in 2002, in 1999, Mr Kevin Reilly (Officer Reilly) was a Detective Sergeant attached to the Kalgoorlie Detectives office. Officer Reilly recalled that on the morning of 8 October 1999, he and Officer Stjepic spoke with several Club Deroes at the front of the Compound. Officer Reilly found it suspicious that members of Club Deroes were standing outside the Clubhouse “at that time of day”, and although he was unsure whether Mr Baxendell was present, Mr Smith was not.
599 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 43, Statement - Ms A Rance (26.10.99) 600 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 43.1, Statement - Ms A Rance (27.10.99) 601 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p44 602 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 28, Statement - Mr T Roberts (01.11.99) 603 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p28 604 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 28, Statement - Mr T Roberts (01.11.99) 605 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p34
Officer Reilly later went into business with Mr Smith, and became the co-owner of the Foundry Hotel, and when he was spoken to by police investigators in 2017, Officer Reilly claimed that: “(Mr Edhouse) and (Mr Atkinson) knew what happened to Lisa and it was possibly accidental or an overdose”.606 Douglas Stjepic607,608,609,610
In October 1999, Mr Douglas Stjepic (Officer Stjepic) was a Detective First Class Constable stationed at the Kalgoorlie Detectives Office. Officer Stjepic says that at about 10.30 am on 8 October 1999, he and Detective Senior Sergeant Reilly (Officer Reilly) saw five or six members of Club Deroes outside the Compound and stopped to speak with them.
Officer Stjepic says the group “appeared nervous” and were “discussing something”, and their demeanour seemed “highly suspicious”. Officer Stjepic also said the group “had closed ranks and were talking closely together” and it was unusual to see them standing in front of the Compound. Officer Stjepic said he had never seen Club Deroes members stand in front of the Compound unless there was a “bikie run” which there wasn’t that day.611
Officer Stjepic says he noticed Mr Fisher looking out of a window of the nearby Foundry Hotel as he and Officer Reilly approached the group, and it appeared to him as if Mr Fisher was acting as a “look out”, which he (Officer Stjepic) also thought was suspicious.612
Officer Stjepic says Officer Reilly had a brief discussion with Mr Heaton,613 and he (Officer Stjepic) recognised that the group also included Mr Edhouse, Mr Hope, Mr Hill, Mr Melbin, and Mr Atkinson who appeared intoxicated. The officers asked the group whether Club Deroes president Mr John Blaxendell was around, and were told Mr Blaxendell was in Esperance. Officer Stjepic says he and Officer Reilly were speaking with the group for a few minutes and as they left, he noticed a “white tray back 4WD” belonging to Mr Hope parked near the fence/gate at the front of the Compound.614 606 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p34 607 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31, Statement - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (13.02.18) 608 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31.1, Statement - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (17.05.18) 609 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 31.2, Address attended / Action taken form (05.11.99) 610 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp33-34 611 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 31 & 31.1, Statements - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (13.02.18 & 17.05.18) 612 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 31 & 31.1, Statements - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (13.02.18 & 17.05.18) 613 This conversation occurred before Lisa had been reported as missing to police: ts 04.11.24, p60 614 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 31 & 31.1, Statements - Sen. Sgt. D Stjepic (13.02.18 & 17.05.18)
[2025] WACOR 21 Ana-Paula Svilicich615,616
Ms Svilicich said she occasionally saw Lisa “in the street or at a hotel”, and had been to Lisa’s house “a couple of times for coffee”, although Mr Hammel had not been at home. As I explained earlier, Ms Svilicich socialised with Lisa from about 8.00 pm on 7 October 1999 until about 2.00 am on 8 October 1999, when she (Ms Svilicich) dropped Lisa off at the Safari Club before going home.
Ms Svilicich says Lisa was wearing a black mini skirt with “a little white hem”, a “black medieval lace up top”, a black or brown jacket, and black sandals “with a bit of a heel”. Lisa was also wearing a black leather choker “with a blue dolphin motif”, and carrying a mobile phone, and possibly “a little petite bag”.617 In the statement Ms Svilicich gave police on 31 October 1999, she says that “months and months ago” Lisa had told her that she was concerned about Mr Hammel’s involvement “with the bikies in Kalgoorlie”.618
Ms Svilicich also says that Lisa had told her that “the Club Deroes were trying to con Tim into joining their club”, and that Lisa said she was telling her these things “in confidence” and didn’t want Ms Svilicich to tell anyone else.619 I note that at the inquest Mr Hammel denied having any involvement with either Club Deroes or the Gypsy Jokers (another outlaw motorcycle gang with a “chapter” in Kalgoorlie). However, Mr Hammel did agree that he knew members of the Gypsy Jokers that he had met “at pubs”, and he had also gone to a Christmas function at the Gypsy Jokers clubhouse “one year”.620 Samantha Thomas621,622
In 1999, Ms Samantha Thomas was the bar manager at Exchange Hotel in Kalgoorlie. Ms Thomas says that sometime between 10.00 am and 11.00 am on 8 October 1999, Mr Hammel came into the bar alone. Mr Hammel appeared “very solemn” and Ms Thomas assumed he and Lisa (who she knew was his girlfriend) had had a fight. Ms Thomas says she was aware Mr Hammel and Lisa “had their problems and it’s mainly due to Lisa going out socialising”.623 615 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99) 616 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp10-11 617 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), pp3-4 618 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p11 619 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 11, Statement - Ms A-P Svilicich (31.10.99), p11 620 ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), pp366-367 621 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 44, Statement - Ms S Thomas (27.10.99) 622 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p44 623 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 44, Statement - Ms S Thomas (27.10.99)
Ms Thomas saw Mr Hammel consume a “bundy and cola can” and stayed at the hotel for about 30 minutes before leaving. Ms Thomas also said that sometime before 9.00 pm on 10 October 1999, Mr Hammel called and told her he had reported Lisa to police as missing, and that: “He said that he didn’t care what she had done, but if anyone saw her, to tell her to come home, or ring him because he was worried about her” Ms Thomas also said Mr Hammel: “sounded as though (Lisa) had let him down and (he) was disappointed”.624 John Thorley625,626
In 1999, Mr John Thorley was working at Komatsu Kalgoorlie, and he knew Mr Hammel, as their shifts occasionally coincided. In statements he gave to police in October and November 1999, Mr Thorley said that sometime between 3.00 am and 4.00 am on 8 October 1999, Mr Hammel said he was going home “for a minute” and he borrowed a work vehicle to do so. Mr Thorley said Mr Hammel returned to work about 30 minutes later, and that their shift finished a couple hours later.
Mr Thorley says that at about 11.00 am on 8 October 1999, he was at the Recreation Hotel when Mr Hammel arrived and came over to speak with him.
Mr Thorley says Mr Hammel told him he was “looking for his girlfriend”, who Mr Thorley later became aware was Lisa, and Mr Hammel seemed “concerned” because Lisa hadn’t called him and wasn’t at home. Mr Hammel also said Lisa wasn’t answering calls to her mobile and he didn’t know where she was.
Mr Thorley says Mr Hammel seemed worried and looked as if he hadn’t had much sleep. Mr Thorley noticed that Mr Hammel had some injuries to one side of his face, and Mr Hammel told him “he had dropped his motor bike in Boulder somewhere”.627
624 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 44, Statement - Ms S Thomas (27.10.99) 625 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 41 & 41.1, Statements - Mr J Thorley (19.10.99 & 04.11.99) 626 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp42-43 627 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tabs 41 & 41.1, Statements - Mr J Thorley (19.10.99 & 04.11.99)
Mr Thorley says he and Mr Hammel returned to work at about 10.30 pm, and at around 3.00 am or 4.00 am on 10 October 1999, Mr Hammel told him that he had found his dog under his house. Mr Thorley says he assumed Mr Hammel must have returned home in the meantime, and that although (he) Mr Hammel seemed happier at having found his dog, “he still appeared worried”.628
Mr Thorley says he had some leave, and that when he returned to work on 21 October 1999, he discussed Lisa’s disappearance with Mr Hammel “in general terms”. Mr Thorley says Mr Hammel was still worried about Lisa, and although Mr Hammel did not say what he thought might have happened to Lisa, Mr Hammel told him “he hopes she is still alive”.629 Robin Wade630,631
In 1999, Mr Robin Wade was a business owner in Kalgoorlie. He says that on 8 October 1999, he went to the McDonalds fast food outlet on Boulder Street just before 7.30 am to buy a coffee. Whilst there, Mr Wade says he saw a young woman (who he later identified as Lisa) with two men who were wearing “motorcycle gang colours”.632
Mr Wade says one of the men (who was shorter than the other) was “verbally aggressive” towards Lisa, and was “forcefully remonstrating at her”. Mr Wade says the short bikie stormed off and rode away on a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and a short time later, Lisa and the taller bikie left together on a Harley Davidson motorcycle.633
Mr Wade also says that early that same afternoon a male (who said he was “The Deroes”) called and said: “[Y]ou’ve been speaking to Police, do it again and you will go down”. Mr Wade says he told the caller that if they wanted to talk they should come to his business but that he would come out with a “12 gauge shotgun and will not be afraid to shoot above the knee”.636
Mr Wade said he was at his business premises, and that the round had “flipped the back of his Akubra hat” before embedding itself in the side of his truck. The documentary showed vision of a hole in Mr Wade’s truck in the panel between the driver’s door and the right rear passenger door.637
When Mr Wade was asked whether he had ever considered having the vehicle examined, he replied that the police had reassured him it was not important and had no significance.638 However, in his report, Officer Lines’ says that police enquiries established that an arrow had been fired at Mr Wade’s truck sometime between 6.00 pm on 8 June 2004 and 5.00 am on 9 June 2004. Forensic officers attended the scene and photographed the truck with the arrow “in situ”, and: Examination of the image presented in part three of the documentary, reveals that the bullet hole alleged by (Mr Wade) to have been caused by a twenty-two calibre projectile in 1999, was in fact the hole in the panel of the OKA truck, caused by the shooting of the arrow in 2004.639
In his report, Officer Lines expressed the conclusion that: “Investigators believe (Mr Wade) fabricated his account.640 After carefully considering the available evidence, I have concluded that Officer Lines’ observation must be correct, at least in respect of Mr Wade’s assertion that he was fired on, and this casts serious doubt on the rest of his (Mr Wade’s) evidence.
636 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 58, Statement - Mr R Wade (06.03.14), paras 51-59 & 61-68 637 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p30 638 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p30 639 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p30 640 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p30
[2025] WACOR 21 Joanne Whaite641
In 1999, Ms Joanne Whaite was in a relationship with Mr Edhouse, and she lived with him an old house at the front of the Compound. Ms Whaite declined to provide a statement to police in 1999, but she interviewed by South Australian Police on 19 December 2017. In that interview, Ms Whaite said “she did not have any knowledge regarding Lisa and never went into the club house”.642 Ahiataewa Winiata643,644
In 1999, Mr Ahiataewa Winiata was working at KAL, and he says he saw Lisa at De Bernales at about 11.00 pm on 7 October 1999. At the time, Mr Winiata was with Mr Barrett and some others, and he says Lisa was wearing “a mini skirt with a black type jacket”. Mr Winiata says Lisa was with a blonde haired woman (i.e.: Ms Svilicich), and that when Lisa came to speak with him and Mr Barrett she “was a bit drunk”.
When De Bernales closed, Mr Winiata walked to the Shaft Bar with Lisa, her blonde friend and Mr Barrett. At about 2.00 am, Mr Winiata says he and Mr Barrett and some others went to the Safari Club, where Mr Winiata says he saw Lisa and her female friend.
Mr Winiata says when the Safari Club closed at about 4.30 am, he walked downstairs with Lisa and Mr Barrett. Mr Winiata says Lisa met up with some of Mr Hammel’s “mates” who “looked like bikies”. Mr Winiata says Lisa was “drunk” and he saw her with two “bikie looking blokes”, (who must have been Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson) in a laneway at the side of the Safari Club.645
Mr Winiata says he saw the second man (i.e.: Mr Atkinson) arguing with Lisa, who was “yelling back”, and that about 10 minutes later, Lisa rejoined Mr Winiata and Mr Barrett. The trio then “walked towards a taxi rank and caught a taxi”, but a short time later, Lisa got out of the taxi near the Safari Club. Before she did so, Mr Winiata says he asked her if “everything was OK” and she replied: “It was OK and they (the men she had been interacting with) were (Mr Hammel’s) mates”. Mr Winiata says he and Mr Barrett then drove off in the taxi and that this was the last time ever he saw Lisa.646 641 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p35 642 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p35 643 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 14, Hand written statement - Mr A Winiata (12.10.99) 644 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p14 645 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 14, Hand written statement - Mr A Winiata (12.10.99) 646 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 14, Hand written statement - Mr A Winiata (12.10.99)
[2025] WACOR 21 Carly Wright647,648
In 1999, Ms Carly Wright was working at the Exchange Hotel. In the statement Ms Wright gave police in July 2022, she said began a relationship with Mr Melbin at the start of 1999 which lasted until 2017. Ms Wright says Mr Melbin was a “patched member” of Club Deroes, and she knew other Club Deroes members and associates including: Mr Hope, Mr Edhouse, Mr Blaxendell, and Mr Atkinson.649
Ms Wright says she disliked Mr Atkinson “because of how he treated women”, and recalled that about one week before Lisa went missing she saw Lisa chatting to Club Deroes members (including Mr Atkinson) in the Safari Club.
Ms Wright says Mr Atkinson had been “taunting” Lisa before setting her hair on fire, and she poured water over Lisa and yelled at Mr Atkinson.650
Ms Atkinson says she last saw Lisa was “the morning she was last seen alive” at about 6.00 am at the Exchange Hotel. Ms Wright said Lisa was alone and “very drunk”, and was wearing purple or black clothing. Ms Wright says she refused to serve Lisa a drink because “she was too drunk” and suggested Lisa go home and feed her dog. Ms Wright says Lisa “floated about” asking patrons to buy her drink and left the bar after about 25 minutes.651
Ms Wright recalled that Mr Melbin was busy for about four hours on the morning that Lisa went missing, which was “out of his normal routine”.
Ms Wright also says Mr Melbin’s mobile was turned off when she tried to call him, and that when she later asked him about Lisa he said something like “None of your business”.652 In her statement, Ms Wright also says: Over time, I probed (Mr Melbin) about what happened to Lisa and he disclosed certain details to me but I cannot share them with Police as I am fearful for my safety.653
647 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 33, Statement - Ms C Wright (28.07.22) 648 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p36 649 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 33, Statement - Ms C Wright (28.07.22), paras 8-28 650 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 33, Statement - Ms C Wright (28.07.22), paras 29-31 651 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 33, Statement - Ms C Wright (28.07.22), paras 40-47 652 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 33, Statement - Ms C Wright (28.07.22), paras 52-54 653 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 33, Statement - Ms C Wright (28.07.22), para 55 654 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 34, Operation Seafloor Questionnaire - Mr T Melbin 655 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 34.1, Viper Print Action - Mr T Melbin
[2025] WACOR 21 Angela Young656,657,658
CCTV footage confirms that Mr Hammel was at Kalgoorlie Hospital between 5.39 pm and 6.05 pm on 8 October 1999,659 and the following entry appears on the triage form completed by Ms Young: Triage & Primary Assessment: Requesting R/V (review) of grazes to R (right) side of face + both hands MBA (motorbike accident) today ~60 kph. Helmet in situ. Denies any other injuries (no) C-spine or back pain, no LOC (i.e.: loss of consciousness).660
SUMMARY OF POLICE INVESTIGATIONS Missing person investigation661,662,663,664
At about 5.00 pm on 8 October 1999, Mr Hammel telephoned the Kalgoorlie police station (the Station) to report Lisa as a missing person. Mr Hammel’s call was answered by Constable Huggins (Officer Huggins) who asked him to come to the Station “as the report must be done in person”. Although Mr Hammel told Officer Huggins that he had come off his motorcycle and was “a bit of a mess”, he eventually agreed to attend the Station.665
Constable Huggins says Mr Hammel arrived about 30 minutes later, and had a graze covering the whole of the right side of his face. Officer Huggins took some details about Lisa from Mr Hammel, and completed a “P19 Missing Persons’ Report”. Mr Hammel told Officer Huggins that he had spoken with “Paula” (i.e. Ms Svilicich) who told him she had left Lisa at the Safari Club at about 1.30 am that morning.666 656 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 50, Statement - Ms A Young (19.11.99) 657 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 50.1, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital Triage Notes (09.10.99) 658 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p47 659 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p49 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), p18 660 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 50.1, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital Triage Notes (09.10.99) 661 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp8-10 & 48-49 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp9-14 662 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), pp6-7 and ts 09.12.24 (Hammel), pp351-376 663 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99) 664 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2.1, P19 Missing Persons Report (08.10.99) 665 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), p1 666 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), p2
Officer Huggins says when he asked Mr Hammel if he had “a recent argument with Lisa” or “anything which might cause her to not come home”, Mr Hammel said “No, only the usual”.667 As for “Paula” (i.e.: Ms Svilicich) Officer Huggins noted that: “(Mr Hammel) seemed reluctant to offer any more information about Paula and his conversation with her. He did state he had attended Paula’s address to speak with her”.668
Officer Huggins says that after discussing the matter with his supervisor (Sergeant Fletcher), he told Mr Hammel that “under the circumstances, the report would not be entered on to the computer at that stage, although ‘a look out to be kept for’ would be circulated”. Constable Huggins told Mr Hammel he should return to the Station “later that night with any new information”, but he did not see Mr Hammel again before his shift finished at 11.00 pm.669
In the statement she gave police on 10 November 1999, Lisa’s mother (Ms Govan) says that Mr Hammel called her at about 5.30 pm on 8 October 1999. Mr Hammel sounded “very upset and distraught” and told her that Lisa was “missing”, and he was returning home after visiting “the hospital” having fallen off his motorcycle.670
Ms Govan says Mr Hammel called back a short time later and said he last spoke to Lisa at 1.00 am that morning, and had told her to go home. Mr Hammel said he had left work to look for her at 2.00 am or 3.00 am, and Ms Govan says Mr Hammel “was very upset and crying”, and was repeating “I want her back, I just want her back”. Ms Govan also says Mr Hammel called her three times that day, and that they had spoken daily since. After Mr Hammel’s calls on 8 October 1999, Ms Govan says she thought it was a bit strange” he was so upset and had called her, as they were not “that close or familiar”.671,672
In any case, after leaving the Station, Mr Hammel says he went home where he started “ringing people to see if they had seen or heard from Lisa”. At 3.00 am on 9 October 1999, Mr Hammel called the Station again to advise that Lisa was still not at home. Although Mr Hammel says the officer he initially spoke with hung up, “a short time later” an officer called back to advise that Lisa “was an official missing person”.673,674 667 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), p3 668 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), p2 669 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), pp3-4 670 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 52, Statement - Ms P Govan (10.11.99), p2 671 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 52, Statement - Ms P Govan (10.11.99), pp2-3 672 See also: Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), pp47-48 673 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2.2 Print out of Missing person report (09.10.99) 674 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), pp6-7
INQUIRER TO WAIT 24 HOURS BEFORE REPORTING A DISAPPEARANCE”.675 [Original emphasis and capitalisation]
In this case, the missing person investigation into Lisa’s disappearance did not commence until about 3.00 am on 9 October 1999, although I note that at about 5.30 pm on 8 October 1999, Officer Huggins told Mr Hammel that “a look out to be kept for” bulletin “would be circulated”.676
It is clearly unfortunate that Mr Hammel’s missing report was not entered into the police computer system until the early hours of 9 October 1999, and the failure to do so was clearly contrary to the relevant policy at the time. However, there is no evidence before me that this delay had any material impact on the police investigation into Lisa’s disappearance.677
As part of the missing person investigation, First Class Constable Bell (Officer Bell) and Constable Lewis (Officer Lewis) went to Mr Hammel’s home at about 3.00 pm on 10 October 1999. Officer Bell says that when they arrived Mr Hammel was “shaking and almost in tears”, and had a large graze on the right side of his face “which looked recent”. Mr Hammel told the officers he had sustained the injury when he fell off his motorcycle while riding around searching for Lisa.678,679,680
Officer Bell said she noted some Telstra accounts on the floor for a mobile belonging to Lisa, and Mr Hammel said he had been calling every number on the statements that he did not know. Mr Hammel offered the statements to the officers but Officer Bell said she declined the offer, and asked Mr Hammel if Lisa had any bank accounts. Mr Hammel told Officer Bell he and Lisa had a joint account with Challenge Bank, and produced Lisa’s card from his wallet which he showed to her.681,682 675 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2.3, Excerpt - OP-25.2 Missing Persons (Within Western Australia) 676 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 2, Statement - Const. P Huggins (30.10.99), p3 677 See also: ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp15-16 678 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 51, Statement - FC Const. K Bell (30.10.99), p1 679 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), pp5-6 680 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p9 681 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 40, Statement - Mr T Hammel (13.10.99), p7 682 Exhibit 1, Vol. 2, Tab 51, Statement - FC Const. K Bell (30.10.99), pp1-2
Officer Bell says Mr Hammel asked whether there had been any further news from “Paula”, and she took this to be a reference to Ms Paula Svilicich. Officer Bell told Mr Hammel Ms Svilicich was not a close friend of Lisa and he was “not to keep contacting her” as Ms Svilicich did not know where Lisa was.683 In her statement, Officer Bell also notes that she had been told by First Class Constable Beddoe that: Mr Hammel had made several trips to Paula’s home and had frightened her trying to find out what she knew about Lisa’s disappearance. Paula was sure (Mr Hammel) suspected her to have been involved and know where Lisa was.684
Officer Bell asked Mr Hammel where Lisa might go to stay if she didn’t want to come home, or where she liked to go Mr Hammel’s response was: “Lisa visited all hotels,” but favoured the Recreation Hotel, as she had previously lived and worked there. Officer Bell says that Mr Hammel also asked whether police were going to check “video from the Nightclub” (i.e.: the Safari Club) to see who Lisa had been with, but that she: “did not tell (Mr Hammel) that we had already seen the video tape at that time”.685
After Officers Bell and Lewis left Mr Hammel’s home, they continued their enquiries with Lisa’s “last known workplace and her workmates”.686
In his report reviewing the investigation of Lisa’s disappearance, Officer Lines summarised subsequent developments in the following terms: On Monday 11 October 1999, carriage of the investigation transferred to Kalgoorlie Detectives, assisted by the Major Crime Squad (MCS).
The investigation initially focussed on (Mr Hammel), but attention quickly turned to the (Club Deroes). On Friday 12 November 1999, MCS returned to Perth, leaving carriage of the investigation solely with Kalgoorlie Detectives.687
On 14 October 1999, police executed a search warrant at the Clubhouse and noted that some “gaming machines” had been moved and a section of the floor was “freshly painted”. A section of carpet near the pool table also “appeared to have been cut away”, and although forensic samples and swabs were gathered, “These did not yield any evidence”.689
The investigation by officers from Major Crime Squad and the Kalgoorlie Detectives did not identify any cogent evidence, and no person was charged with any offence relating to Lisa’s disappearance. In his report, Officer Lines noted two further developments in the police investigation of Lisa’s disappearance, namely: On Sunday 10 November 2002, Kalgoorlie Detectives received an anonymous letter requesting police re-open the investigation and reinterview all witnesses. The letter was forensically examined and (Mr Edwards) was identified as the author. (Mr Edwards) was interviewed and inquiries emanating from his account failed to identify any admissible evidentiary material in relation to the investigation.
In February 2017, Special Crime Squad - Homicide, took carriage of the investigation.690 Homicide & Special Crime Squad investigations691
These core samples were analysed but nothing relevant to Lisa’s disappearance was discovered. Police also executed a search warrant at the new clubhouse of Club Deroes located at 197 Hay Street in Kalgoorlie. A pool table at the new clubhouse, (which it was believed had been brought from the Clubhouse), was located and forensic swabs and samples were taken, however the swabs “did not yield any evidence”.692
Officer Lines also noted that although Mr Smith had denied the claims made by Mr Edwards in 2002 [i.e.: that Mr Edwards had been told by Mr Smith that he (Mr Smith) had seen Mr Edhouse stomp on Lisa’s head in the Clubhouse on the morning of 8 October 1999], police investigators believed that Lisa had died at the Clubhouse on the morning of 8 October 1999. However, as Officer Lines correctly conceded: “Without the cooperation of either of Mr Smith, Mr Hope and/or Mr Heaton, this matter cannot be concluded”.694
After the completion of his review of the available evidence relating to Lisa’s disappearance, Officer Lines expressed the following conclusion: The disappearance of Lisa was initially investigated as a missing person inquiry before escalating to a homicide investigation. After initially suspecting (Mr Hammel), the weight of suspicion fell on (Mr Edhouse) and (Mr Atkinson), given the hearsay evidence of (Mr Edwards).
Although (Mr Smith) never corroborated the account of (Mr Edwards), investigators believe Lisa is deceased, and that she died at the Club Deroes outlaw motorcycle gang clubhouse on the morning of the Friday 8 October 1999. Without the cooperation of (Mr Smith, Mr Hope, and Mr Heaton), this matter cannot be concluded. The investigation has progressed as far as possible using contemporary police investigative techniques, and there is insufficient evidence to prefer charges against any person at this time.695
At the inquest, Officer Lines confirmed that Lisa’s case remained an open investigation. However, he also noted that despite a substantial reward being offered for information leading to the arrest of any person connected with Lisa’s disappearance, no cogent evidence has so far emerged.696
For the sake of completeness, I note that in his report Officer Lines referred to allegations of corruption that were levelled against several detectives in Kalgoorlie Detectives during the period 1996 to 2000. However, Officer Lines noted that these allegations were subject of investigations by the Police Internal Affairs Unit, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Kennedy Royal Commission, and that: “The allegations did not concern this matter (i.e.: Lisa’s disappearance) and investigators were not able to substantiate any corruption relating to this investigation”.697 694 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p52 695 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p52 and ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp49-50 696 ts 04.11.24 (Lines), p54 697 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p4 and see also: ts 04.11.24 (Lines), p14
As Lisa’s body and/or remains have never been located, I am obliged to find that the cause of her death is unascertained.
Given the information vacuum surrounding Lisa’s whereabouts after she was last seen, it is quite understandable that numerous theories about what happened to her might be contemplated.
In this case, although police believe that Lisa died in the Clubhouse on the morning of 8 October 1999, no admissible evidence of any criminality relating to Lisa’s death has ever been unearthed and no criminal charges have ever been laid against any person.707
Despite there being a range of possible explanations for Lisa’s disappearance and subsequent death, on the basis of the currently available evidence, I have been unable to make any conclusions, to the relevant standard, as to the cause or circumstances of Lisa’s death.
Further, in the absence of any cogent evidence about Lisa’s movements after she was last seen, I have been unable to determine the manner of her death, and I therefore make an open finding.
For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to make it clear that in this case an open finding means that it is possible that Lisa’s death may have occurred by way of unlawful homicide, accident, or natural causes.
On the basis of the available evidence, whilst none of these possibilities can be established, none can be excluded either.
707 ts 04.11.24 (Lines), pp49-50
Lisa was a dearly loved family member who was 28-years of age when she disappeared on 8 October 1999. Lisa has not been seen or heard from since that date, and despite a police investigation and a comprehensive review by the Special Crimes - Homicide Squad, no information about Lisa’s whereabouts has come to light.708
In his report, Officer Lines noted that Lisa’s disappearance was initially investigated as a missing person enquiry, before escalating to a homicide investigation. Officer Lines also noted that “After initially suspecting (Mr Hammel), the weight of suspicion fell on (Mr Edhouse) and (Mr Atkinson), given the hearsay evidence of (Mr Edwards)”.709
As I have outlined, there is evidence that at the relevant time, both Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson had a proclivity to violence. They were also the last two people known to have been seen with Lisa when she was alive. However, without more, that evidence does not establish that either of these men had anything to do with Lisa’s disappearance and/or death.
It is highly suspicious that Mr Hope’s Landcruiser was at the Compound on the morning Lisa disappeared, and that piece of carpet was removed from the Clubhouse at around this time. However, on the basis of the available evidence, I have been unable to conclude that either of these facts is related to Lisa’s disappearance.
There have been numerous rumours about what might have happened to Lisa after she was last seen standing out the front of the Compound on the morning of 8 October 1999. These rumours include that Lisa may have died accidentally after overdosing on illicit drugs, that she may have been assaulted and died, and/or that she was murdered.
Assuming that Lisa was alive at the relevant time, Mr Edwards’ evidence about what he says he was told by Mr Smith would, if it could be corroborated, establish that Mr Edhouse seriously assaulted Lisa on the morning of 8 October 1999. However, in the face of denials by Mr Smith, Mr Edhouse, and Mr Atkinson (who is alleged to have witnessed the assault), Mr Edwards’ evidence cannot establish anything in relation to Lisa’s death.
708 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p51 709 Exhibit 1, Vol. 1, Tab 1, Report - Det. Sen. Sgt T Lines (19.10.23), p52
Although I have concluded that the available evidence establishes beyond reasonable doubt that Lisa died on or about 8 October 1999 in the vicinity of Kalgoorlie, I have been unable to make any findings, to the relevant standard, as to the cause of Lisa’s death, and I made an open finding as to the manner of her death.
In the absence of fresh evidence which may shed light on what happened to Lisa after about 7.30 am on 8 October 1999, it seems that the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and subsequent death are destined to remain a mystery. This is clearly a frustrating and wholly unsatisfactory state of affairs, and I cannot imagine the additional grief and sadness that Lisa’s family and loved ones have had to endure since her disappearance in the face of this information vacuum.
As I have pointed out, on the basis of the available evidence it seems clear that Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson were the last people to have been with Lisa before she disappeared. In my view, even given the fact that the passage of time dims memories, it must be the case that both Mr Edhouse and Mr Atkinson know more about what happened to Lisa than they have so far been willing to admit.
I am aware that the so called code of silence, which applies to members and associates of Club Deroes, acts as a powerful deterrent to those persons (and others) coming forward and telling police what they know. Nevertheless, I strongly urge anyone who has any relevant information about Lisa’s disappearance to have the moral courage to come forward and contact police before it is too late. Lisa’s family deserve an explanation as to why and how she died.
Before concluding this finding, as I did at the end of inquest, I wish to again extend to Lisa’s family and loved ones, on behalf of the Court, my very sincere condolences for their terrible loss.
MAG Jenkin Coroner 13 May 2025
Barry Podmore, aged 73, disappeared on 6 December 2024 while prospecting in remote bushland near Karroun Hill Nature Reserve in Western Australia. He left his home with metal detectors but without his mobile phone or Per…
Bailey Bryan Burns, 23, died in a single-vehicle crash on Canning Highway after losing control of his vehicle while driving at excessive speed (approximately 150 km/h in a 60 km/h zone) on wet roads while navigating a be…
John Frylinck, a 70-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease and poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, disappeared on 18 January 2024 while walking at Mundaring Sculpture Park. Despite an extensive search involving 120 volunte…
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. Some material may have been redacted or restricted by court order or privacy requirements. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries are for educational purposes only and must not be treated as legal documents. Report an inaccuracy.