IT was like a bolt from the blue when local police from South Australia and NSW detectives arrested Colin Michael Newey over the murder of Corowa teenager Bronwynne Richardson more than 40 years ago.
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Newey was arrested at his long-time home town of Murray Bridge on July 30 and flown to Sydney where charges of murder, abduction and rape were laid.
It was a shock for the Richardson family and many living in the small Corowa community who still recall much of what has taken place over the decades.
There have been emotional lows, a slim glimmer of hope the case will be solved along with innuendo, false leads, accusations and two inquests.
A coroner determined in 1975 that Miss Richardson, 17, had died from strangulation and drowning.
Strike Force Kulaman was formed in 2008 to further investigate the unsolved murder.
A second inquest was held in Albury in 2011 into the death of the former Corowa showgirl who disappeared from near St Patrick’s Church in Smollett Street about 7pm on October 12, 1973.
A shoe and handbag belonging to her were left behind and her battered body was found two days later in a lagoon west of Albury after a large land and water search.
It was the inquest before deputy coroner Carmel Forbes three years ago that apparently shed some new light on the case and Newey became a suspect.
Detectives from the NSW unsolved homicide team diligently continued their investigations and it culminated with Newey’s arrest. Newey, 61, appeared through a video link to Albury Local Court in October where it was revealed he had a sexual fascination for the teenager despite being a relative.
The obsession for Miss Richardson held by Newey, a distant cousin, was unknown to the Richardson family. But it was been outlined in a 35-page report by a detective which was tendered to magistrate Tony Murray when Newey’s legal representative applied for bail.
It told how Newey had shown photographs of Miss Richardson to other men and had made comments about her.
Two comments attributed to him were: “I wouldn’t mind getting on to that” and “I wouldn’t mind doing it”.
Witnesses had thought it was strange he would refer to her in such a way
Mr Murray was told the prosecution of Newey will rely on more than 20 civilian witnesses along with police and there are no forensic links.
Director of Public Prosecutions representative Diana Paterson opposed bail for Newey saying: “This is a classic case of its kind. It will rely on statements of eyewitnesses alone.”
Mr Murray refused bail, but Newey has since successfully applied in the Supreme Court for bail and returned to South Australia on stringent conditions.
His case returns to court in February after police prepare more evidence before a January deadline.
