Pauline Juliet Walter

A young woman's adventurous journey to a new city for her 22nd birthday ended in a mystery that would take over a decade to even begin to unravel.

Pauline Juliet Walter, a vibrant 22-year-old from Darwin, embarked on a journey to Perth in May 1980. She hitchhiked to Port Hedland, worked for a few weeks, and then flew to Perth, arriving on June 1, 1980. She checked into the Downtowner Lodge on Hill Street, full of life and excitement for her new adventure.

On her 22nd birthday, June 3, 1980, Pauline spoke with her mother on the phone, sounding happy and cheerful. A few weeks later, a postcard from her, postmarked from Balga, WA on June 26, 1980, reached her mother. This was the last time her family ever heard from her. After months of silence, her concerned mother reported her missing to the Northern Territory Police on March 24, 1981.

For years, Pauline's disappearance remained a mystery. Then, on May 21, 1986, council workers discovered skeletal remains in a drain on Rowley Road in Forrestdale, a semi-rural suburb of Perth. It wasn't until February 28, 1995, that advances in DNA technology confirmed the remains belonged to Pauline Juliet Walter. The cause of her death was determined to be homicide, but the person or persons responsible for her murder have never been brought to justice.