A $500,000 reward has been offered to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a woman whose naked body was found naked in a dam 200 kilometers from her home.
The remains of Cecilia Devine, also known as Kristen Pearson, were found at a water treatment facility at the Upper Cascade Creek Dam in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, on March 19, 2019.
The singer and songwriter, 42, was living and working in Newcastle, north of Sydney, at the time.
She was last seen shopping at Coles and withdrawing money from an ATM in Katoomba six months earlier.
CCTV from September 6, 2018 showed Ms Devine wearing a bright yellow cardigan, black pants and an orange bag.
Despite extensive investigations, police have been unable to piece together what happened to him, but are treating his death as suspicious.
A coroner’s inquest earlier this year determined Ms Devine died sometime between September 6 and 13, 2018, but could not determine how she died.
On Tuesday, the forensic findings handed the investigation back to the police, who renewed their public appeal and announced a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible.
Cecilia Devine’s remains were found at an Upper Cascade Creek Dam water treatment facility in March 2019.
The last known image of Ms Devine taken by CCTV in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba on September 6, 2018.
Superintendent John Nelson hopes the reward will prompt anyone who saw Cecilia to come forward.
“Prior to her disappearance, Cecilia traveled from Newcastle to Katoomba, but we still have no firm evidence of how she got here, why she made the journey or how she died,” Superintendent Nelson said.
“We urge anyone who saw Cecilia at the time she was reported missing, or who has any information about her whereabouts at the time, to contact the police.
«This information could well be the missing piece in this investigation.
“We are committed to finding the answers the NSW community and Cecilia’s family deserve.”
A coronial inquest earlier this year found that Cecilia Devine died between September 6 and 13, 2018.
Devine’s mother, Kathy Pearson, welcomed the intensification of the investigation.
“Cecilia, also known as Kristen, was a dearly loved daughter, sister and friend who was taken from us too soon under terrible circumstances,” he said.
She was a talented singer and songwriter, with a sparkling smile, an infectious laugh and a big heart.
“We hope this reward encourages anyone with information to come forward and help police bring answers and peace of mind to our family,” he said.
Investigations under the command of Strike Force Eking continue.