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On July 11, 1990, 23-year-old Sarah mysteriously vanished from Kananook railway station.
She left behind bloodstains, drag marks, and unanswered questions, according to Victoria Police.
Despite decades of investigation by the Victoria Police Homicide Squad and Missing Persons Squad, Sarah’s case remains one of Australia's most famous unsolved mysteries.
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| Sarah MacDiarmid |
Who Is Sarah MacDiarmid?
Born on November 15, 1966, in Scotland, Sarah MacDiarmid was a vibrant young woman.
She moved to Australia with her family in 1987.
By 1990, she had settled into a new job at an insurance company and was living with her parents in Frankston, Victoria.
Her family described her as responsible and reliable.
They say Sarah was the kind of person who always called home if she was running late.
She often played tennis after work, precisely what she was doing the day she disappeared.
Her sudden disappearance on July 11, 1990, shocked her family and the community
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| Sarah MacDiarmid |
How and When Did Sarah MacDiarmid Disappear?
After work on July 11, 1990, Sarah McDermid met up with two friends for a game of tennis at Flinders Park in East Melbourne.
They played for a while and enjoyed their evening.
When the game ended, Sarah and her friends decided to head home.
They walked to Richmond station together to catch a train home, but they missed it.
Instead of waiting, they caught the next train to Caulfield.
Once at Caulfield, they joined another train going to Frankston.
Sarah’s friends got off at Bonbeach, which was their final stop.
They said goodbye to Sarah who stayed back on the train to continue her journey.
She was heading to Kananook station, which was her final stop.
Her car was also parked at the station.
At around 10:20 p.m., Sarah got off the train at Kananook station, and several people saw her walking toward the car park.
She was carrying her tennis racket and a bag, and she stood out because of her blonde hair and tracksuit.
The car park was poorly lit, but Sarah seemed to be in a hurry.
She crossed the footbridge and headed toward her red Honda Civic.
That was the last time Sarah was seen alive.
By 11 p.m., she still hadn’t come home, so her parents grew worried.
Sarah was known to call if she was running late, so her absence was unusual.
Her brother, Alisdair, decided to check the station.
He arrived around 1 a.m. and waited for the last train, hoping Sarah might be on it.
When the train arrived, Sarah wasn’t there.
Alisdair found her car still parked in the car park.
The doors and boot were locked, but there was no sign of Sarah.
That night, Sarah MacDiarmid vanished without a trace.
Sarah’s parents reported that she was missing the following morning when she failed to return home.
The events of July 11, 1990, were the beginning of a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.
How Did the Police Investigate Her Disappearance?
The criminal investigation into Sarah MacDiarmid’s disappearance was one of the most extensive in Victorian history.
Over 250 police officers conducted a 21-day land, air, and sea search, but it yielded no results.
Forensic evidence from the crime scene, such as bloodstains and drag marks, led detectives to conclude that Sarah had likely been murdered.
Despite public appeals, media coverage, and an initial government reward of $50,000, no significant leads emerged.
In 2004, the reward was increased to $1 million—a gesture that still stands today.
Inquests and interviews with suspects, including convicted killers Paul Denyer and Bandali Debs, have been inconclusive.
In 2006, a coroner officially ruled that Sarah had been murdered, though the exact circumstances of her death remained unknown.
This has made Sarah MacDiarmid’s case one of Australia’s oldest cold cases.
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| Disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid |
Theories Surrounding Sarah’s Disappearance
Sarah MacDiarmid’s disappearance has puzzled investigators and the public for over three decades.
Over the years, several theories have emerged, each offering a possible explanation for her vanishing.
Here are the most discussed ones:
1. Involvement of Known Criminals
One theory points to the possibility that Sarah was targeted by a known criminal.
Two names often come up under this theory: Paul Denyer and Bandali Debs.
- Paul Denyer: A convicted serial killer, Denyer murdered three women in the Frankston area between 1992 and 1993. Some investigators wondered if Sarah’s case was an early crime in his spree. However, Denyer denied any involvement when questioned by police.
- Bandali Debs: Another serial killer, Debs was active in the 1990s and was later convicted of multiple murders. Police considered him a potential suspect in Sarah’s case, but no direct evidence linked him to her disappearance.
While both men were known to be dangerous, there’s no concrete proof tying either of them to Sarah’s case.
2. Jodie Jones’ Conflicting Stories
Another theory revolves around a woman named Jodie Jones, who had a criminal past.
Shortly after Sarah’s disappearance, Jones began telling people she knew what had happened.
Jones claimed she was at Kananook station that night with one or more men.
She even suggested they were involved in Sarah’s disappearance.
However, her stories were inconsistent and often changed.
It is believed that Jodie Jones and three others allegedly attacked Sarah during a robbery gone wrong.
Two of these suspects are deceased, and police are still exploring the involvement of others in the group.
At one point, she said Sarah was buried, while at another, she claimed Sarah was put in a dumpster.
Police interviewed Jones multiple times but found her statements unreliable.
She had a history of drug use and criminal behavior, which made her claims hard to believe.
Additionally, she had an alibi for the night of Sarah’s disappearance, further weakening her credibility.
3. Opportunistic Attack
Many believe Sarah may have been the victim of an opportunistic attack.
The poorly lit car park at Kananook station could have made her an easy target for someone looking to harm or rob her.
Witnesses reported hearing a woman shout, “Give me back my keys!” around the time Sarah was last seen.
This suggests she may have been confronted by someone trying to steal her car or belongings.
The bloodstains and drag marks near her car also point to a struggle.
If this theory is true, it’s possible that Sarah was attacked by a stranger who saw her alone in the car park and took advantage of her.
Despite these theories, no one knows for sure what happened to Sarah MacDiarmid.
Each theory has its flaws, and without new evidence, the truth remains hidden.
The case continues to haunt her family, investigators, and the public, leaving everyone to wonder: Will we ever know what really happened that night?
Ongoing Efforts to Solve the Case
Despite decades without resolution, the Victoria Police Homicide Squad continues to investigate Sarah MacDiarmid’s disappearance.
They urge anyone with information to come forward.
“There will absolutely still be people who know what happened to Sarah,” Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said.
The case has been revisited through media, including the Searching for Sarah MacDiarmid podcast and TV shows like Sensing Murder.
In recent years, true crime podcasts and media coverage have brought renewed attention to Sarah’s case.
One notable podcast, Searching for Sarah MacDiarmid, has analyzed the timeline and evidence in detail.
These platforms have helped keep the case in the public eye and have even prompted new leads.
For example, a man named Steve came forward with a fascinating story.
He claimed that years after Sarah’s disappearance, he found a handbag buried in a nearby retarding basin.
Inside the bag was a purse with a Civic Video card and other items belonging to someone named Sarah MacDiarmid.
While the bag was never recovered, Steve’s story led to renewed interest in re-examining the area for potential clues.
On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance, Sarah’s family launched a website to support others dealing with missing loved ones.
As we reflect on Sarah’s life and the circumstances of her last known moments, the hope remains that someone will come forward to help close this chapter.
With a $1 million reward still on offer, the call for justice persists, ensuring that Sarah’s story is never forgotten.
With continued public support and police determination, the hope persists that justice for Sarah—and peace for her family—will one day be achieved.
If you have any information that could help the police locate Sarah, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or submit an online report under the category "Suspicious Activity or Other Crime."
For those who prefer to stay anonymous, there are multiple ways to report a crime confidentially in Australia.
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