Sadly, her disappearance still remains an unsolved mystery in 2025.
The 31-year-old was last seen getting into a red car after a night out with friends.
Despite multiple suspects, a lost murder weapon, and a $1 million reward, her disappearance remains unsolved.
Who drove the red car on that fateful night in 2001?
Was it someone she knew? A stranger? Or a predator hiding in plain sight?
Her family is still desperately searching for answers to these questions two decades later.
Let’s get into the details
Who was Janine Vaughan
Janine Mary Vaughan was born on January 7, 1970, at Scott Memorial Hospital in Scone, New South Wales, according to official records.
Her biological parents were separated at the time of her birth.
Her father, Ian Vaughan, served in the Royal Australian Navy and her mother was not part of her upbringing.
As a baby, Janine was adopted by her paternal grandparents, Athol and Nancy Vaughan, who raised her in Muswellbrook.
In 1972, Ian married Jennifer "Jenny" Roe and Janine became part of their family too, though she primarily lived with her grandparents.
Janine attended South Muswellbrook Primary School, Aberdeen Primary School, and later Scone High School.
She was athletic, popular, and even served as a school captain.
As an adult, Janine moved to Bathurst.
At the time of her disappearance, she worked as a manager at Ed Harry's menswear store in the local shopping center.
Colleagues and customers knew her as cheerful, responsible, and good at her job.
Her family describes her as someone who made friends easily but was careful about who she trusted.
The Disappearance of Janine Vaughan
On Thursday, December 7, 2001, Janine Vaughan spent the night out with two friends in Bathurst
They visited several local bars, ending up at the Metro Tavern, according to Mamamia podcast.
It was a popular nightspot known locally as "The Dirty Tav."
Around 3:45 AM, Janine left the tavern alone after losing her handbag inside.
She had no phone, money, or house keys, as her bag was missing.
Witnesses described her as upset as she walked into the rainy night.
As Janine walked along Keppel Street near Macquarie Park, a small red car pulled up beside her.
She got into the passenger side, and the vehicle drove away.
This was the last time Janine Vaughan was seen by anyone.
Her friends saw her get in the car as they walked behind her.
They thought she must have known the driver - maybe someone giving her a lift home.
When Janine didn't show up for work the next morning at Ed Harry's menswear store, her coworkers knew something was wrong.
She was reliable and responsible - not the type to disappear without explanation.
Police were called, launching an investigation that would span decades.
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| Janine Vaughan on CCTV on the night she disappeared |
The Investigation into Janine Vaughan's Disappearance
The local police department launched a missing persons investigation after Janine disappeared.
The case was upgraded to a suspected homicide within days.
Officers conducted extensive interviews with witnesses including friends, bar staff, and local residents.
Most importantly, law enforcement officials focused on the red car seen by multiple witnesses.
Earlier that same night, about 10 minutes before Janine disappeared, another woman reported a disturbing encounter nearby.
She described being approached by a man in a similar red car who forcefully asked her to enter his car.
She said she became unsafe and even had to hide until he left, as reported by 9news
The witness noted the driver was a large man with dark hair wearing a white collared shirt.
Several vehicles matching the description were examined, with particular attention given to a red Hyundai Excel.
Forensic experts carried out various tests but no conclusive evidence emerged.
One week after the disappearance, a knife with possible blood residue was found near a nursing home in Bathurst.
This potential evidence was later mishandled by criminal investigators.
It was destroyed before forensic analysis could be completed
This immediately raised red flags among the locals with some speculating that a policeman was involved.
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| Janine Vaughan |
Key Persons of Interest in Janine Vaughan's Disappearance
1) Andrew Jones: Andrew Jones was a local pharmacist who became a person of interest because he owned a red vehicle matching witness descriptions.
Additionally, several women told police about troubling encounters with Jones, where he unexpectedly asked if they wanted rides in his vehicle.
Jones claimed he didn't know Janine, but police found two suspicious facts:
- he was often seen hanging around the store where Janine worked, and
- he couldn't properly explain where he was the night she disappeared.
No concrete evidence was found which linked him to Janine's disappearance.
2) Dennis Briggs: Dennis Briggs became a person of interest after he voluntarily told multiple people that he killed Janine Vaughan.
He described exactly how and where he murdered Janine in scary and disturbing details.
He however retracted his confession saying he wasn't thinking clearly at the time
Law enforcement found no physical evidence corroborating his statements.
This made investigators doubt the credibility of his story, even though his confession was truly disturbing.
3) Brad Hosemans: Brad Hosemans was a serving police detective at the time Janine Vaughan disappeared.
Horseman only became a suspect because of town gossip, not because of any real evidence.
There were rumors around town that he may have been involved in her disappearance.
After the bloodied knife was destroyed, some locals believed the evidence was deliberately destroyed because a policeman was involved.
The rumors got worse when someone came forward later saying they saw him driving the red car that night.
But when police checked her story, they found many inconsistencies
Work records showed Hoseman was on duty as a police officer at the time, which proved he couldn't have been involved.
Even though this cleared him, many people in town still didn't believe it.
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| Janine Vaughan |
Potential Theories in Janine Vaughan's Disappearance
Several possible theories have been considered about what happened to Janine that night.
Each theory comes from specific facts in the case, though none have been proven.
1) Foul Play By Known Person: The first theory suggests someone Janine knew was responsible for her disappearance.
According to friends, Janine would never get into a car with a stranger.
This has made people to suspect that the driver of the red car could have been an acquaintance, someone from work, or a person she met that night who seemed trustworthy at first.
Supporters of this theory believe this person lured Janine into their car only to harm her.
2) Foul Play By Stranger: Investigators have considered the theory that Janine may have gotten into a car with a stranger that night as it was raining
This theory suggests that she may have met with a dangerous stranger who was looking for victims in the area to harm.
For instance, the man in the red car approached another woman earlier that night.
The similar car descriptions and timing make this a strong lead that was never fully solved.
Also, all the key persons of interest were all strangers who claimed they didn't know Janine.
Police have also considered the possibility that a complete stranger, who is not known to authorities may be involved.
However, no conclusive evidence has linked anyone directly to Janine's disappearance.
3) Potential Stalker: There's also the chance that Janine's stalker was involved.
Before she disappeared, someone had been leaving her disturbing notes and strange gifts.
Police never found out who this person was.
This made people wonder if the stalking turned into something worse.
4 The Police Cover-Up Theory
Most people in Bathurst at the time believed that police purposely mishandled Janine's case.
This theory suggests that officers may have protected someone important or hidden their own mistakes.
1) The bloody knife found days after Janine vanished was destroyed before proper testing
2) Early investigative files reportedly went missing
3) A high-ranking officer was rumored to be involved, though never proven
4) Key witnesses changed their stories after talking to police
Supporters of this theory have pointed accusing fingers at Brad Hosemans - the detective originally suspected by locals.
They claim that he had access to case files and knew police procedures that could hide evidence.
The woman who later claimed to see him with Janine was discredited, but some locals think she was pressured to change her story.
Police had strongly denied any cover-up.
They admit the lost knife was a mistake, but say it happened because of poor handling - not intentional destruction.
Official reports show Hosemans was on duty at the station when Janine disappeared.
The coroner's 2009 finding that Janine was murdered made no mention of police involvement.
Still, some remain convinced important details were buried to protect the department's reputation in this small town.
Without concrete proof, this theory remains speculation. .
The lack of a body or concrete evidence makes all these theories hard to prove.
Without knowing exactly what happened to Janine, investigators can't rule out any possibility completely.
Each theory has its own strengths and weaknesses, but none have been strong enough to lead to an arrest.
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| Janine Vaughan |
Ongoing Efforts
The NSW Coroner's Court officially declared Janine Vaughan deceased following a comprehensive inquest in 2009.
Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich delivered the finding that Janine died on or after December 7, 2001.
He noted that the available evidence proved insufficient to determine either the precise cause or circumstances of death.
Despite this ruling, the police are still working hard to solve Janine Vaughan's disappearance.
Forensic experts are using new DNA technology that wasn't available before to test evidence from the original investigation.
These new tests might find DNA that older methods couldn't previously detect.
The government is still offering a $1 Million reward to anyone who gives information that helps solve the case.
Law enforcement is also looking at new information that came from a podcast called "The Night Driver" made in 2017 by reporter Hedley Thomas.
This podcast talked to new witnesses and looked closely at how police handled the case at the beginning.
Authorities confirm the case is still an open investigation with dedicated operational resources.
All physical evidence - like a red car which was seized years ago - is being kept safe in police storage.
This way they can test them again when forensic science improves.
The message from police is clear - they haven't given up, and neither should the public.
They believe someone in Bathurst knows more than they've told the police.
Any detail, no matter how small, could finally explain what happened to Janine that night in 2001.
If you have any information about Janine Vaughan's disappearance, no matter how small or unimportant it may seem, please call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1800 333 000.
You can also visit their website to submit what you know as your tip could finally solve this 20-year mystery
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