Annette’s death is examined in this week’s Cold Case Western Australia podcast, which is hosted by
veteran crime reporter and former WA Police Force media advisor Neil Poh.
Annette met friends in Mandurah on Saturday 13 September 1980, and she was last seen talking to an
unidentified man after 11pm that night near the Mandurah Post Office. Her remains were found by trail
bike riders near Pinjarra on Sunday 4 June 1982.
Friends, family and detectives close to the case told Poh that Mandurah was a vastly different place in
1980 to the bustling city that it has become today.
“I think most of these people know...when you read their statements back in the early 80s, Mandurah
was pretty loose, they were all having a good time, it was a party town,” Cold Case Investigation Squad Detective Sergeant Peter Sloan told podcast host Neil Poh.
“Now they’re all married, children, probably grandchildren, so obviously your morals change. We’ve still
got a family out there that still wants answers.
“A couple of these persons of interest were persons of interest back then but all the friends vouched for
them providing what they believed were airtight alibis. Further information has come forward
recently...those alibis have fallen down, allegiances have changed. And whether there was a threat there
previously, that is no longer there, so people are not hesitant in coming forward.”
Annette’s brother Michael “Digger” Deverell urged anyone with information to come forward and bring
his family answers.
“We’d like to know who done it, just for peace of mind, and so my Mum can go to her grave knowing
who done it,” Mr Deverell said.
“Someone knows, definitely knows who did it, and them themselves know who did it - just give yourself
up basically.”
Poh also spoke to Annette’s friend Wendy Wintle, who believes only a person with local knowledge
would have known about the Pinjarra site where Annette's remains were found, located about 35km
south east of Mandurah.
“Everybody thought that it had to be a local person, because if you weren’t local, you wouldn’t know
that area, and we, all of the Mandurah young ones...we’d go up there most weekends, swimming and
camping, or they’d ride motorbikes,” Ms Wintle said.
“The guys used to go shooting up there. And, yeah, everyone thought it has to be a local person, has to
be a local person.”
Det-Sgt Sloan said it was highly likely Annette knew her killer, and the unidentified blonde man was a
key focus in the investigation.
"Identifying that person remains a focus of the ongoing investigation into Annette’s murder,” Det. Sgt
Sloan said.
Det-Sgt Sloan also tells the podcast the squad is re-examining the alibis of the 51 persons of interest
identified by the original investigators.
There’s a $1 million reward for information that leads to the conviction of the person or persons who
were responsible for Annette's death.
Season 2, Episode 6: Annette Deverell
Annette was 19-years-old and described as 167cm with a small build, light skin and collar length blonde
hair.
She was dropped off at the Boathouse Tavern, on Pinjarra Road, Mandurah about 8pm on Saturday 13
September, and went to a number of venues before arriving at the Brighton Hotel, on Mandurah
Terrace.
She left the Brighton Hotel by herself about 11pm, and was seen talking to the unidentified blonde man
about 11.20pm. She again was seen by herself in that location about 11.30pm, and was reported missing
the following day.
Her remains were found next to a large log in burnt out forest area near Scarp Road, Pinjarra, on Sunday
4 July 1982.
