Brian Michael Garlett

A young man's holiday in Perth turns into a nightmare when he's found murdered in a remote bushland, leaving behind a trail of paranoia and unanswered questions.

Brian Michael Garlett, a 26-year-old man from Northam, was on a holiday in Perth when his life was cut short in a brutal homicide. He had been staying with a friend at the Cullacabardee Aboriginal Community, where he reportedly became increasingly paranoid, believing that people were outside waiting to harm him. His fears, though dismissed by others, tragically foreshadowed the violence to come.

On Thursday, July 29, 1982, Garlett was last seen alive, frantically jumping a fence and running from the community. His movements in the following days remain a mystery. It wasn't until Saturday, August 14, 1982, that his body was discovered near a firebreak off Vista Parade in Ballajura. He was found dressed in light brown shoes, black shorts under blue jeans, and a white singlet.

The investigation revealed that Garlett had died from a severe head injury. The crime scene suggested that the murder had occurred sometime between August 8 and August 10, 1982. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, the person or persons responsible for Brian Michael Garlett's murder have never been identified, and the case remains a painful cold case for his family and community.