On September 21, 1975, 14-year-old Marilyn Qualmann vanished from her home in Moorook, South Australia.
Nearly five decades later, her disappearance remains one of the state’s unsolved mysteries.
Despite early assumptions that she had run away, investigators now believe something far more sinister happened.
Marilyn Qualmann was last seen on the morning of September 21, 1975, at her family’s home on Moorook Road (near Kingston-on-Murray) in South Australia.
Her sister saw her around 9 a.m. that Sunday, which was the last confirmed sighting before she went missing.
Marilyn, who was 14 at the time, stayed at Birralee Hostel in Berri during the week while attending Glossop High School, a special education facility.
She attended the school due to her learning difficulties, and returned to her family in Moorook on weekends.
Though Marilyn had a history of running away, she never stayed missing for long.
Previous incidents ended with her being found at nearby homes, often with neighbors.
This time, however, she did not return.
When searches of the surrounding area failed to locate her, her mother reported her missing to police the next day which was Monday.
According to the police, her mother told detectives that her daughter had run away from home.
Authorities initially treated it as a potential runaway case, but the lack of any credible sightings or evidence soon shifted their perspective.
Investigators later determined that Marilyn had taken nothing with her—no clothes, money, or personal belongings—which contradicted the theory that she had left willingly.
The absence of any contact or leads in the days, weeks, and eventually years that followed deepened suspicions that she had met with foul play.
After weeks with no sign of her, the case was transferred to Major Crime investigators.
Authorities conducted an extensive search of the area surrounding her home, including a five-kilometer stretch of the River Murray near Moorook.
Police divers scoured the water while ground teams combed nearby land.
No physical evidence linked to Marilyn was discovered.
Investigators also pursued unconfirmed sightings reported at the time, but none led to credible leads.
During the investigation, troubling details about Marilyn’s home life emerged.
Witnesses reported that she had previously been seen with significant bruising, raising concerns about possible abuse.
Her stepfather told police he had beaten Marilyn but said he was only disciplining her, which was not against the law.
He remained a person of interest until his death in 2004.
“When questioned, he admitted to physically disciplining her, but in his view it was lawful chastisement,’’ Det-Brevet Sgt Mason of major crime said to newsmen.
“She had been seen previously with significant bruising and there was never any proper explanation given for that".
“There is every likelihood the secret of what happened to Marilyn has been taken to his grave,” she said.
No other suspects were formally identified, and no arrests were ever made.
Despite the exhaustive efforts of law enforcement, the case gradually grew cold.
The lack of forensic evidence, credible witnesses, or a clear motive left investigators with few avenues to pursue.
Major Crime detectives later concluded that Marilyn had likely been murdered and her body concealed.
According to Crime Stoppers, the $1 million reward offered for information stands as a final hope that someone with knowledge of the crime may yet come forward.
To this day, the investigation remains open but unresolved, with Marilyn’s fate still unknown.
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