She told her mom she was heading to her boyfriend's house and would see her later.
That was the last time anyone saw Lynette Melbin alive.
What happened after she left remains one of Australia's most frustrating unsolved mysteries.
Over Fifty years later, her family still awaits answers in this unsolved cold case.
Who Was Lynette Ann Melbin?
Lynette Ann Melbin was the daughter of Pamela and Terry Melbin.
She had three siblings including a twin sister, Liana Stewart, whom she was very close to.
At the time of her disappearance, Lynette was 15 years old and lived with her parents in Penrith, New South Wales
Her family life appeared stable, and there were no known conflicts or reasons that would make her run away.
Described as petite, she was 153 centimeters (5 feet) tall with fair blonde hair and hazel eyes.
On weekends, she occasionally babysat for families in the neighboring suburb of Mount Druitt.
Her parents described her as reliable, with no history of running away or rebellious behavior.
“She wouldn’t even go in the dark to put a bin out, let alone just disappear,” said Lynette's mother to Missing Persons Unit detectives.
By all accounts, Lynette was an ordinary teenager with no known ties to dangerous people or situations before she mysteriously vanished in June 1972.
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| Lynette Ann Melbin |
The Day Lynette Ann Melbin Disappeared
On Monday, June 5, 1972, Lynette Melbin spent the afternoon with three friends at Penrith Plaza.
This was a local shopping center in Sydney's western suburbs.
After spending time with her friends, Lynette walked to the nearby Woolworths store where her mother Pamela worked.
She met her mother at the checkout counter and informed her of her plans for the evening.
Lynette told Pamela that she would first go home to change clothes before heading to her boyfriend's house in Penrith.
The daughter and mother then agreed that Pamela would pick up Lynette from the boyfriend's house after her shift ended at 5:30 PM.
This was their last conversation.
After Lynette Melbin left Woolworths, she mysteriously vanished.
When Pamela arrived at the boyfriend's house at the agreed time, Lynette was not there.
The boyfriend confirmed that Lynette never arrived that afternoon as planned.
None of her friends or family members reported seeing or hearing from her after she left Woolworths earlier that day.
The clothes she intended to change into were still at home, untouched.
This suggested that she never returned to her house after leaving the plaza.
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| Lynette Ann Melbin |
The Search and Investigation
After Lynette Melbin failed to come back home, her family filed a missing person’s report with the local police department.
However, her family strongly disagreed.
They insisted that this behavior was completely out of character for Lynette.
The local police department later conducted preliminary searches around Penrith Plaza, Woolworths, and the route between these locations and her boyfriend's house.
However, no concrete lead came up and the case went cold.
Lynette's father Terry also searched the streets of Sydney at night, hoping to find any clue about his daughter's whereabouts.
Sadly, the search came up empty.
In September 1978, six years after the disappearance, investigators revisited the case following media attention from The Sun Herald.
The police re-examined their initial assumptions about the case but this lead eventually went cold.
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| Lynette's twin sister, Liana Stewart when she was younger |
In 2001, Deputy State Coroner Janet Stevenson conducted a coronial inquest into Lynette Ann Melbin's disappearance.
The official finding concluded that Lynette had likely died on or about June 5, 1972, from undetermined causes.
This ruling changed the classification of the case from a missing persons report to a suspected homicide.
In 2006, Lynette's case was revisited when a witness came forward with new information.
This individual reported seeing Lynette in the company of an older male several weeks before her disappearance.
When Lynette's father was shown a photograph of the man, he recognized the man.
However, he said that he had no prior knowledge of any connection between this individual and his daughter.
Police later said that this person had likely been interviewed during the original investigation but wasn't considered a person of interest at the time.
Some witnesses also said they saw Lynette speaking with two men inside a panel van near her home on Caloola Avenue on the day she disappeared.
Detectives focused on this lead but sadly, they have not identified both men to date.
In 2012, the case was transferred to the Unsolved Homicide Unit as part of Strike Force Willmott.
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| Lynette Ann Melbin and an unnamed man |
Possible Theories in Lynette Melbin's Disappearance
1. Foul Play: Some witnesses reported seeing two men with Lynette in a panel van near her home on the day she disappeared.
Investigators believe these individuals may have been local residents or workers who knew Lynette or her routine.
The panel van description suggests they may have been tradesmen operating in the area.
This theory, while not verified, suggests that the men may have lured Lynette away and harmed her.
2. Involvement of the Older Male Associate:
A witness came forward and reported that they had seen Lynette with an older man several weeks before her disappearance.
Lynette's father recognized the man when shown a photo but could not explain their connection.
Supporters of this theory suspect this may have been an inappropriate relationship that turned violent.
However, authorities have not revealed any concrete evidence linking the man to Lynette's disappearance.
3. Connection to a Local Bakery Worker
Investigators are currently looking to identify a bread delivery driver or bakery employee who knew Lynette.
They say he might be involved or have information that could help them solve Lynette's disappearance.
According to authorities, he helped in the initial investigation but has not been seen since then.
Until the man is identified and positively linked to Lynette's case, this theory remains unconfirmed.
4. Opportunistic Abduction by Stranger or Serial killer
Police have not completely ruled out the possibility that Lynette was taken by someone unknown to her.
However, the lack of similar crimes in the area and the absence of any witnesses seeing a struggle make this theory less supported than others.
5. Voluntary Disappearance
Initially considered by police due to Lynette's age, this theory has been effectively dismissed.
Multiple factors contradict it: she left behind all personal belongings, had no means to support herself, maintained a close relationship with her twin sister, and showed no prior signs of wanting to leave.
The 2001 coronial inquest officially ruled out this possibility.
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| Lynette Ann Melbin |
Ongoing Efforts and Recent Developments
Lynette Ann Melbin's case remains active as of 2025.
Criminal investigators with NSW Police Force's Unsolved Homicide Unit, continue to pursue leads through Strike Force Willmott.
In November 2022, authorities announced a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Lynette's disappearance and presumed murder.
This substantial reward is one of the largest ever offered in a NSW cold case investigation.
Detectives have also made specific public appeals for information regarding two key persons of interest:
1) The unidentified males who were seen with Lynette in a panel van near her Caloola Avenue home on June 5, 1972, and
2) A bread delivery driver or bakery worker who knew Lynette before her disappearance.
Investigators believe these individuals, now likely in their 70s or 80s, may hold crucial information about the case.
Recent forensic advancements have allowed investigators to re-examine physical evidence collected during the original investigation.
While specific details remain confidential, police have confirmed they are applying modern DNA analysis techniques to items in their possession.
The Unsolved Homicide Unit has also conducted fresh interviews with surviving witnesses from 1972.
Their goal is to find new details that were not reported before.
Lynette's surviving family members, particularly her twin sister Liana Stewart, continue to advocate for justice.
In media appearances marking the 50th anniversary of the disappearance, Stewart made emotional appeals for anyone with information to come forward.
She emphasized that even small details could prove significant.
The family has worked with documentary producers to keep the case in public awareness, resulting in several recent true crime podcast features and television specials examining the mystery.
The NSW Police have noted they receive periodic tips through these channels, though none have yet led to a breakthrough.
Authorities stress that all information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, remains valuable.
They particularly want to speak with:
- Former residents of Caloola Avenue from 1972
- Anyone who worked at or frequented Penrith Plaza businesses during that era
- Individuals who may have known Lynette through local social circles
- Persons with knowledge of the panel van or bakery worker described in earlier investigations
The case remains classified as an active homicide investigation, with detectives confirming they follow up on all credible leads.
Police have established a dedicated tip line through Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000) specifically for information related to Lynette's disappearance.
Someone, somewhere knows exactly what happened to Lynette and hopefully one day, the truth will come to light.
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