Kath BERGAMIN
Kath
Bergamin went missing from Wangaratta in 2002. Detectives believe a letter
sent to them (inset) in 2017 was sent from Bendigo or surrounding areas.
Circumstances
Kath Bergamin disappeared during the evening of Sunday 18 August
2002 from her Brien Crescent home in Wangaratta that she shared with
a female friend.
Detectives established Ms Bergamin was last seen wearing three
quarter length red Adidas gym pants with white stripes, a white
‘Tommy Girl’ t-shirt with a red and blue logo, a red coloured hooded
windcheater-type jacket and red Nike gym socks.
Ms Bergamin had separated from her husband, with whom she had
previously resided in the Cheshunt area, just a few months before
her disappearance.
A Coronial Inquest into the disappearance and death of Ms Bergamin
was held in 2007-2008.
A $1 million reward is offered for information leading to the arrest
and subsequent conviction of anyone responsible for the death of the
then 37-year-old mother of three.
Extensive enquiries were conducted in and around the Wangaratta and
Cheshunt areas to identify those responsible for her disappearance.
A large search of bushland area in Cheshunt South was also conducted
in an attempt to locate her body.
Ms Bergamin’s remains have never been recovered.
Detectives believe members of the community may have information in
relation to this incident and are asking them to come forward.
Anyone with information that may assist police investigations is
asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Age - 37 years
Occupation - Disability Worker
Caucasian, 175cm (five foot nine inches), 65kg, short fair hair and green
eyes.
She was last seen wearing three-quarter length, red Adidas gym pants with
white stripes, a white Tommy Girl t-shirt with a red and blue logo and a
red-colored, hooded windcheater-type jacket.
Last seen Sunday
August 18th 2002 at her home in Brien Crescent, Wangaratta, 7:15pm (near
Wangaratta West Primary School)
Murder Search Expands
8 November 2002 - 2AY Albury
The search for the body of murdered Wangaratta woman, Kath Bergamin, is being
expanded in the Cheshunt area, south of Wang, today.
Police believe Ms Bergamin was killed shortly after being taken from her Brien
Crescent home on August 18.
Parts of the Cheshunt farm, where she lived before moving to Wang, were dug up a
week ago, and two men were subsequently interviewed and released. Now the search
is being expanded, using the Dog Squad, the Air Wing, the Mounted Patrol, and
the S.E.S..
Murder Search continues
12 November 2002 - 2AY Albury
The search for the body of murdered Wangaratta woman, Kath Bergamin, has moved
closer to the Rural City.
Police have searched the Cheshunt area, near Whitfield, on two occasions, and
now they're concentrating on an area at Docker, near Moyhu.
Ms Bergamin formerly lived at Cheshunt, before moving to Wangaratta, from where
she disappeared in mid-August.
Police search for missing woman, believed murdered
November 8 2002
By Liz Gooch - The Age
A search will begin this morning in bushland near Wangaratta for a woman who
police believe was murdered when she disappeared nearly three months ago.
Wangaratta resident Kath Bergamin, 37, went missing from her home in Brien
Crescent on August 18. She has not contacted friends or relatives, including her
three children. She has not taken any personal items and her bank accounts have
not been accessed.
Police said the case is now being treated as a murder inquiry.
Homicide Squad detectives will combine with local police, State Emergency
Services, the police dog squad, air wing, mounted branch and search and rescue
units in their hunt for the missing woman.
The search is expected to begin at about 10am and will focus on rugged bushland
in Cheshunt South, south east of Wangaratta.
Search for Kath Bergamin
becomes a Murder Investigation
Acting
on information supplied to police, a line search was conducted last Friday
covering the last 3.5 kilometres of Christophers Track, Cheshunt South. At
9.00 am, a massive turnout including the SES; the CFA; NRE; police air wing;
the dog squad; search and rescue; the homicide squad; the mounted police and
the catering section assembled at the Whitfield Picnic Park. It was going to
be a long day.
After a briefing from the Homicidse Squad in the Rotunda, the convoy moved
out to assemble in the State forest south of Cheshunt. As everyone geared
up, the dog squad returned after being out for about four hours. Satelite
communications were established and the search parties moved out to the very
end of Christopher's Track. The mission was to search about 100 metres
either side of the track over a 3.5 kilometre distance. The troops spread
out and marched their way back towards the base camp. They did not veer off
course - they went through blackberries and swamps - they checked hollow
logs and tree forks - searching all the way. They were supported by the
mounted police and the helicopter.
About a kilometre into the trek, there was the unmistakeable stench of a
decaying carcase coming downwind. Everybody's heartbeat quickened with the
dreaded thought of finding what they were looking for, the remains of Kath
Bergamin. The search intensified until the source of the odour was found. It
was not Kath ... it was the remains of a dingo or a wallaby. There were
mixed emotions of relief and frustration with the realisation of the reality
of the situation if her body was found. After a hearty lunch, the search
continued with the target area completely covered by late afternoon. Nothing
of significance was discovered. No doubt, the NRE Dog Man, David Klippel,
will be keeping a keen eye out as he works his way through the wilderness.
Woman Missing Border Mail - 29 Aug 2002
Missing woman treated as murder by David Byrnes - Border Mail - 21 Oct
2002
New leads in murder case by David Byrnes - Border Mail - 04 Nov 2002
Search begins for mum's body by Mark Butler - Herald Sun - 8 Nov 2002
Police search for missing woman, believed murdered by Liz Gooch - The
Age - 8 Nov 2002
Searching for a body by Jacki Schwind - The Chronicle - 8 Nov 2002
Vital links to murder found by Kristi Grant - Border Mail - 09 Nov 2002
Hunt for murder victim to continue - Border Mail - 11 Nov 2002
River Search by Jacki Schwind - The Chronicle - 13 Nov 2002
|
- King Valley Community Profile, 31 October 2002
Wangaratta women missing
Wednesday, 28 August 2002 - Wangaratta Chronicle
CONCERNS are held for a 37 year old Wangaratta woman, missing since Sunday,
August 18.
Police are concerned for the welfare of disability carer, Kath Bergamin, last
spoken to by a friend at about 7.15pm on that day.
Ms Bergamin has not contacted friends or relatives or returned home which is
considered to be out of character.
On Saturday, August 24, police and State Emergency Service volunteers searched a
Cheshunt farm but the search did not reveal any information which may locate Ms
Bergamin.
Police are seeking public assistance in tracing Ms Bergamin's movements.
They are also interested in speaking to anybody who may have seen any activity
in the Brien Crescent area, near the Wangaratta West Primary School, between 6pm
and midnight on Sunday, August 18.
Ms Bergamin is described as Caucasian, 175cm (five foot nine inches), 65kg,
short fair hair and green eyes.
She was last seen wearing three-quarter length, red Adidas gym pants with white
stripes, a white Tommy Girl t-shirt with a red and blue logo and a red-colored,
hooded windcheater-type jacket.
Anyone who may have sighted Ms Bergamin, know of her whereabouts or have
information which may assist police should contact Wangaratta police station on
03 57230888 or Crime Stoppers, 1800 333000
Reward may be next in mystery - The Border Mail
INVESTIGATORS from the Victorian police homicide squad missing person unit are
considering making an application for a reward for information about the
disappearance of Wangaratta woman Kath Bergamin.
It could take some time for the approval of a reward.
A report on the case has to be prepared and submitted for consideration by the
appropriate authorities.
But investigators are hopeful that a reward would prompt someone sitting on
information or reluctant to contact police to come forward.
Mrs Bergamin, 37, disappeared on August 18, 2002.
Police believe she was forcibly taken from her Brien Crescent home in
Wangaratta.
Her disappearance was treated as suspicious immediately because she took no
personal belongings and has not accessed her bank account or contacted family or
friends since.
Since her disappearance, homicide squad detectives have searched a Cheshunt farm
and bushland at Cheshunt South for her body.
Divers have also searched the King River near Docker but have not found her
body.
Victoria police were successful in an application for compulsory DNA testing on
two people thought to be connected to her disappearance.
The application was granted after tests on duct tape taken from the home of Mrs
Bergamin soon after her August 18 disappearance returned positive results for
human DNA.
Detectives have not found anything conclusive.
Fate of sister ‘will be solved’
BY MARK MULCAHY - The Border Mail
THE brother of missing Wangaratta woman Kath Bergamin is optimistic that police
will eventually discover what happened to his sister.
Roger Russell yesterday described the disappearance of Kath Bergamin in 2002 as
“a complete disaster” and a tragedy for the family.
Mr Russell, 43, said he was aware that it could be considerable time before full
details of what happened to his sister could be revealed.
John Bergamin, 45, of Cheshunt, was arrested by police from Melbourne’s homicide
squad on Friday and charged with his wife’s murder.
He made a brief appearance in Myrtleford Court about 2.30pm.
He was flanked by two uniformed police and three detectives when escorted to
court from the Myrtleford police station.
There was no application for bail and the case was adjourned to Wangaratta Court
on August 3.
Mrs Bergamin, 37, disappeared on August 18, 2002.
Police believe she was forcibly taken from her Brien Crescent home at
Wangaratta.
Her disappearance was immediately treated as suspicious because she took no
personal belongings and has not accessed her bank account or contacted family or
friends since.
Since her disappearance, homicide squad detectives have searched a Cheshunt farm
and bushland at Cheshunt South for her body.
Divers have also searched the King River near Docker, but have not found her
body.
Police from the homicide squad missing persons unit said recently they were
considering making an application for a reward relating to Mrs Bergamin’s
disappearance.
“The whole thing has been a terrible tragedy,” Mr Russell said.
“We will be happy to see it resolved.
“We have been waiting for something to happen.”
Mr Russell said he believed it was going to take ages for the matter to be
finalised.
“Hopefully the court process will reveal what has happened,” he said.
Mr Russell said his sister was two years younger than him.
Since the disappearance, Mrs Bergamin’s mother has left the Wangaratta area.
Missing woman's brother pleas for more information
Posted Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:23pm AEST - ABC
The brother of a woman from Wangaratta, in north-east Victoria, who has been
missing for five years, says there are people who are withholding information
about her disappearance.
Police are investigating an anonymous tip-off about Kath Bergamin's
disappearance from her home in August 2001.
They say they need the person to contact them again to help the investigation.
Ms Bergamin's brother, Roger Russell, says his family is very grateful to the
person who came forward.
"Everybody knows how important a helping hand is during your darkest hour and
that is how we regard the call with information, as giving my sister a real ...
hand up," he said.
"It does take courage to come forward, but we're hoping that they'll realise
it's the right thing to do and come forward with some information that may help
solve the case."
New lead on missing Wangaratta woman
Posted Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:24am AEST - ABC
Police are investigating new information about the disappearance of Wangaratta
woman, Kath Bergamin.
The mother of three disappeared from her Brien Crescent home five years ago.
Detective Senior Constable, Damian Jackson, says an anonymous person recently
contacted police with details about her disappearance.
He says the coronial inquest that is underway has been adjourned until later
next month while homicide detectives investigate the new lead.
"I can say that we have received anonymous information and we're wishing to
follow up inquiries in relation to it," he said.
"At this stage, it has to be further investigated before we can make a decision
as to its value," Detective Jackson said.
Inquest won't hear evidence from missing woman's husband, son
Posted Thu Aug 2, 2007 2:30pm AEST - ABC
The husband and son of missing woman Kath Bergamin, from Wangaratta in
north-east Victoria, will not give evidence to the coroners court.
Counsel for John Bergamin and his eldest son Steven had requested that they be
excused from testifying at the coronial inquest into Kath Bergamin's
disappearance.
Ms Bergamin went missing from her Wangaratta home five years ago.
Coroner Peter White said John and Steven Bergamin would risk incriminating
themselves if they gave evidence to the inquiry.
Both are persons of interest in a homicide investigation.
John Bergamin has previously been charged with his wife's murder, but the
charged was dropped earlier this year.
Bergamin inquest hears harassment claims
Posted Tue Aug 7, 2007 2:10pm AEST - ABC
The former boyfriend of a missing woman from Wangaratta, in north-east Victoria,
has told the coroners court he was being harassed by her estranged husband.
John Houghton says he became very good friends with Kath Bergamin when she
separated from her husband John Bergamin in mid-2002.
They saw each other casually, but Mr Houghton says Ms Bergamin wanted more than
he did.
Mr Houghton told the court Mr Bergamin called him about five times a day asking
where his wife was.
He says it was common knowledge that John Bergamin had threatened to "take care"
of anyone who started going out with his wife.
Mr Houghton says the calls stopped on the weekend Ms Bergamin went missing in
August 2002.
His testimony will continue this afternoon.
Open verdict in case of missing woman
June 4, 2008 - 1:20PM - SMH
An open verdict has been delivered in the inquest into missing Victorian
woman Kath Bergamin.
A mother of three, Ms Bergamin, 37, disappeared from her Wangaratta home
on the evening of August 18, 2002.
In the Victorian Coroner's Court on Wednesday, coroner Peter White found
Ms Bergamin was killed by an unknown person or persons.
He said after considering evidence from family and friends, much of it
unreliable, he found Ms Bergamin was taken from her home on the night of her
disappearance and killed soon after.
Her remains have never been found.
Mystery disappearance declared murder
June 04, 2008 05:09pm
A CORONER has found Victorian mother of three Kath Bergamin was murdered,
but her killer is unknown and her remains have never been found.
Ms Bergamin, 37, disappeared from her Wangaratta home on the evening of
August 18, 2002.
In the Victorian Coroner's Court today Coroner Peter White found Ms
Bergamin was killed by an unknown person or persons.
Delivering his findings at the conclusion of the inquest today, Mr White
said Ms Bergamin had split from her husband, John Bergamin, in the year before
her death and moved off their farm.
Mr White said evidence showed Ms Bergamin had suffered depression during
the last few years of her life and had told various friends she wanted to
leave her husband.
She told people her husband had told her "she would never make it off
the farm alive".
Mr White said evidence showed Ms Bergamin disappeared from her
Wangaratta home some time between 7.26pm and 11.15pm on August 18, 2002.
"Thereafter, at an unknown time and at an unknown place, she was
unlawfully killed following which a person or persons who were seeking by
their acts to avoid detection, secretly deposited her remains in a still
unknown location," Mr White said in his findings.
"There is insufficient evidence before this inquest to establish which
person or persons were responsible for the unlawful killing of Kath Bergamin."
Mr White said a fire on the Bergamin family farm the morning after Ms
Bergamin's disappearance, was suspicious.
The fire was started in a farm shed, and the shed and a car owned by Ms
Bergamin's son Stephen, was destroyed.
Mr White said he was "satisfied that John Bergamin was a party to the
starting of that fire and that he left the scene ... intending to distance
himself from that action".
He also found Stephen Bergamin was aware someone intended to destroy the
vehicle and that he condoned the act.
In his conclusion, Mr White praised the police investigation into Ms
Bergamin's disappearance and encouraged them to continue trying to find her
killer.
Speaking to reporters after the decision, Mr Bergamin's lawyer Philip
Dunne, QC, said: "He believes strongly that he's innocent and he believes
there are other people who know exactly what happened and they haven't come
forward for a very good reason and he hopes the police keep on digging."
Ms Bergamin's brother Roger Russell said the coroner delivered the best
verdict he could, considering the evidence in front of him.
"We listened to the case for ten days in Wangaratta, and the credibility
of some of the witnesses was so dubious I think several weren't very
forthright with the truth," Mr Russell said.
"We have our own theories on the matter and it all seems pretty obvious
what's happened, there's been a lack of evidence but that evidence is missing
because it's been deliberately destroyed or obscured."
Mr Russell said the family was still pleading with anyone who had
information about his sister's death to come forward.
Victorian Police offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to
the capture of Ms Bergamin's killer.
Family hopeful mystery disappearance will be solved
Posted
Wed Jun 4, 2008 2:14pm AEST - ABC
A Victorian Coroner has delivered an open finding in the
case of a Wangaratta woman who disappeared six years ago.
Kath Bergamin was last seen at her Wangaratta home in August 2002 and
her body has never been found.
A Coroner's Inquest heard she left her husband John Bergamin that year,
and that he had been making threats against her.
The Court heard he was charged with her murder in 2006, but the charges
were dropped.
Today the Coroner, Peter White, found that it was likely the mother of
three had been abducted and murdered, but said he could not name her killer.
The Coroner also said that while John Bergamin had deliberately set his
car on fire the day after his estranged wife's disappearance, there was not
enough evidence to link the two events.
Outside court Kath Bergamin's brother Roger Russell appealed for more
information.
"I would like to say to anyone who knows anything that hasn't come
forward yet, we'd greatly appreciate them coming forward with anything that
could help the case," he said.
The Coroner has suggested a reward be offered for any information that
leads to an arrest or conviction.
Philip Dunn QC, representing John Bergamin, says his client is hoping
someone will come forward.
"John Bergamin believes that there are people in Wangaratta who know a
lot more about the disappearance of Kath than they've told police," he said.
"He wishes they'd come forward. He hopes the police keeps on digging."
Mr Russell says he is hopeful the case will one day be solved.
"We believe our sister is deceased and there was foul play," he said.
"There's a complete lack of evidence and she just disappeared. I believe
there will be a resolution, it could take a long time.
"These cases, you often see them pop up again after ten years or so, so
we believe people know what's happened, and consciousness eventually will come
to the forefront, and we believe the case will be solved."
Police say a $100,000 reward remains on offer for information leading to
a conviction.
Mother abducted and murdered, says coroner
- Mex Cooper - The Age
- June 4, 2008
A Victorian coroner today ruled that a Wangaratta mother-of-three who has
been missing for five years was abducted and murdered, but said he could not
name her killer.
Kath Bergamin disappeared from her Brien Crescent home on the evening of
August 18, 2002. There has been no trace of her since.
Her estranged husband, John Bergamin, was charged with her murder in 2006
but the case against him was dropped due to lack of evidence.
Coroner Peter White today found Mrs Bergamin had been forced from her
rented home, killed and her body dumped in a secret location.
But he said there was insufficient evidence to conclude who was
responsible.
Mr White said a number of witnesses who gave evidence during the inquest
into Mrs Bergamin's fate had been unreliable, including her two youngest
children.
Her eldest son, Steven Bergamin, and his father successfully applied not
to give evidence on the grounds that it could incriminate them.
Mr White described the couple's marriage as "deeply troubled" and said Mr
Bergamin had intimidated his wife into remaining in the relationship, which led
to her suffering depression and attempting suicide.
The court heard Mr Bergamin had threatened his wife with guns and said she
would never walk away from the family farm alive.
Mr White said Mrs Bergamin had left the relationship in "extremely
difficult circumstances" and her estranged husband had embarked on a campaign to
"put further pressure upon her," which intensified when he discovered she had
been seeing other men.
The court heard that Mrs Bergamin had instructed a solicitor two days
before her disappearance to pursue a property settlement and maintenance
payments from Mr Bergamin.
Mr White found that Mrs Bergamin had "no desire to leave Wangaratta or
(any) intention to end her own life".
Mr White today said he believed the day after Mrs Bergamin's
disappearance, her estranged husband had deliberately started a fire that
damaged a shed and a car owned by her, which she had given to her son Steven.
He found Steven Bergamin had known his car would be destroyed and the same
day went to a car showroom to purchase a new vehicle.
Outside court, Mrs Bergamin's brother, Roger Russell, who attended the
inquest with family members including his mother, said he believed his sister
had been murdered.
"The fact there is no direct evidence clarifies that in our mind, that
there was foul play because there's a complete lack of evidence and she just
totally disappeared," he said.
Mr Russell said it was "pretty obvious" what had happened but because
evidence had been destroyed the coroner's finding was the only one available to
him.
"The finding was consistent with the evidence the coroner had put before
him ... the credibility of some of the witnesses was very dubious ... and people
weren't t very forthright with the truth," Mr Russell said.
Mr Russell said he believed the case would one day be solved when people
who knew the truth came forward.
Philip Dunn, QC, who represented John Bergamin at the inquest, said
outside court his client maintained his innocence.
"John Bergamin believes that there are people in Wangaratta who know a lot
more about the disappearance of Kath then they've told the police and he wishes
they'd come forward," Mr Dunn said.
"He believes strongly that he's innocent and he believes there are other
people who know exactly what happened and they haven't come forward for very
good reason and he hopes the police keep digging."
A reward of up to $100,000 has been offered for information leading to the
arrest and subsequent conviction of anyone responsible for Mrs Bergamin's
death.
"Anyone who knows anything that hasn't come forward yet we'd greatly
appreciate them coming forward with anything that could help the case," Mr
Russell said.
Any person with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333
000.
Anonymous letter in Kath Bergamin missing person case may
have been sent from Bendigo, police say
Police are “reasonably confident” a letter linked to a missing
person case that has resonated throughout northern Victoria was
sent from Bendigo or surrounding areas.
Wangaratta mother-of-three Kath Bergamin went missing in August
2002. Detectives believe she was killed but her body has never
been found.
An anonymous letter was sent to investigators in March 2017 and
its level of detail encouraged them.
Officer in charge of the missing persons squad, Detective
Inspector Andrew Stamper, said he was reasonably confident the
letter, which has a barely visible ‘BE’ followed by a series of
illegible numbers written on it, was sent from Bendigo, Benalla,
or the areas in between.
"This letter tells us that there are people out there that
know she is dead, know who killed her and know where she is and
it’s troubling them," he said.
Ms Bergamin’s estranged husband, John Bergamin, was charged with
her murder in 2006 but the case against him was dropped due to
lack of evidence.
A Victorian coroner in 2008 ruled she was abducted and murdered,
but said he could not name her killer.
Detective Inspector Stamper admitted it was unusual to receive a
letter providing such detail 15 years after a person went
missing, but he thought it indicated the writer wanted to talk
about the case.
“I think that the weight of their knowledge of this matter is
weighing on them significantly and they'll want to get it off
their chest and that can be a very difficult process,” he said.
Detective Inspector Stamper said the case was one of a number
Victoria Police was investigating, but the “shocking
circumstances” surrounding her death, allied with the renewed
hope the letter had brought, made officers intent on finding a
resolution.
A $1 million reward remains on offer for information leading to
the apprehension and subsequent conviction of the person or
persons responsible for Ms Bergamin’s murder.
Anyone with information regarding the incident can contact
Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report
at www.crimestoppers.com.au.
Five interviewed over Vic mother cold case
There are fresh leads in the cold case murder of a woman in regional
Victoria 18 years ago.
Kath Bergamin, 37, disappeared from her Wangaratta home in August 2002,
with a coroner later concluding she was murdered, but her body has not
been found.
On Thursday, Victoria Police revealed five people had been interviewed
across the past week over Ms Bergamin's disappearance.
They included a 60-year-old Cheshunt man, a 51-year-old Wangaratta man,
a 37-year-old Melbourne man, a 33-year-old Docker woman and a
30-year-old Yoogali man.
All were released without charge.
The mother-of-three disappeared on August 18, 2002, from the home she
shared with a friend, months after splitting from her husband John
Bergamin.
Mr Bergamin and the couple's eldest son, Stephen Bergamin, were
previously suspects in the case.
A coroner in 2008 said there was not enough evidence to establish who
killed Ms Bergamin.
A number of exhibits have also undergone further DNA testing and
forensic re-examination.
An anonymous letter with specific information about the murder,
including who was involved, was received by police in March 2017.
They are still keen to hear from the mystery letter-writer, reminding
the public there is a $1 million reward for information that leads to
the conviction of Ms Bergamin's killer.
The author may also be granted indemnification from prosecution by
Victoria's Director of Public Prosecutions if the information identifies
the principal offender or offenders, Victoria Police say.