First published: May 14, 2009
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DETECTIVES are re-interviewing witnesses in the case of a Corowa showgirl who was abducted, murdered and her body dumped in the Murray River more than 35 years ago.
NSW State Crime Command yesterday confirmed detectives would be in Albury this week to investigate the abduction of Bronwynne Richardson, who went missing on October 12, 1973.
A police spokeswoman said detectives were searching for fresh information after the case was reopened in 2004.
"Detectives from the unsolved homicide team are currently in the Albury area and will conduct ongoing investigations," she said.
"They are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to contact local police or Crime Stoppers."
The 17-year-old was last seen talking to a young man in Smollett Street.
Two days later her body was found snagged in the Murray River, 7km west of Albury.
She had been bashed, raped and strangled.
East Albury resident John Emmery, who was the last person to see Miss Richardson alive, was yesterday called to the Albury police station.
He said detectives called him a week ago to set up an interview time.
"They told me they were trying to interview as many people as possible," Mr Emmery said.
"I remember (her death) vividly, like it happened yesterday.
"It was a traumatic event and every time they bring up her anniversary you flip it over and over in your mind and concentrate on it in more detail."
Mr Emmery, who was 17 at the time, said he was walking to the ten-pin bowling club when he saw Miss Richardson standing by the fence at St Patrick's Church talking to a young man.
The last time he looked, she appeared to be getting into the passenger seat of a red car and the young man was walking to the driver's side.
"I didn't realise it was her until I saw the photos in the paper on Monday saying she'd gone missing," he said.
"It's a tragedy and it's tormented me for years.
"If only I had've known what I know today I could have gone over and said something or done something to help."
THE CIRCUMSTANCES
BRONWYNNE Richardson was abducted from Smollett Street in Albury at 7pm on October 12, 1973.
Her body was found in the Murray River, 7km west of Albury, two days later.
She had been bashed, raped and strangled.
Detectives reported Ms Richardson was supposed to attend a function near Albury on the night she was murdered.
Her boyfriend had organised for a friend to pick her up when she finished work at Coles supermarket in Albury, but car trouble had delayed him and Ms Richardson was abducted about 7pm.
One of her shoes was found in Smollett Street and two days after an Albury search and rescue squad started searching, they found her body snagged on a tree.
Det-Sgt George Harvie, who has since died, said at the time it had been obvious that more than one person had been involved in her disappearance because of what was found at the scene.
Three men were charged in relation to her murder, one with murder and other counts but they were withdrawn in 1990.
In April, 1993 two men were charged with concealing knowledge of the murder but were acquitted on points of law.
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