Julie Buck

A young mother's forbidden love in a remote Aboriginal community ends in her mysterious death and her lover's disappearance, sparking a decades-long investigation into whispers of tribal law and murder.

Julie Buck, a 23-year-old Aboriginal woman from the Looma community in Western Australia, was last seen alive on December 10, 1993. She was in a relationship with 24-year-old Richard Milgin, which was considered a 'wrong skin' or forbidden relationship under traditional Aboriginal law. Julie had been 'promised' to a much older and influential tribal elder, which created significant tension within the community.

On the night of their disappearance, Julie and Richard were reportedly attacked by a group of men in Looma. Witnesses described a violent confrontation, after which the couple was forced to flee the community on foot, heading towards the town of Derby. Julie's eight-year-old daughter, Zaria, was present during the initial assault and later received a final, brief phone call from her mother, who promised to return for her—a promise she was never able to keep.

Almost a year later, on December 8, 1994, Julie Buck's skeletal remains were discovered by children playing in the bushland just two kilometers from Looma. A cause of death could not be determined due to the condition of her remains. Richard Milgin has never been seen again, and his disappearance is treated as a suspected homicide. The case remains a significant mystery, with theories pointing towards a punitive act of tribal law for the couple's forbidden relationship. A $1 million reward for information leading to a conviction remains in place.