$200,000 NSW Government Reward offered for Double Murder of Catherine Holmes and Georgina Watmore

A $200,000 reward is on offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the 1987 deaths of Catherine Holmes and Georgina Watmore in Cowra.Minister for Police Michael Daley approved the substantial NSW Government reward following extensive investigations over the past 23 years.

On the 14th April 1987, 28 year old mother-of-two Catherine Holmes held a small party at her home, which her 24 year old colleague and friend Georgina Watmore attended.It is believed that they were bludgeoned to death with an unknown weapon after the party ended in the early hours of April 15th.

The two women, who worked together at the Edgell cannery, were discovered the next day by a friend and neighbour when they failed to attend work.

Mr Daley said the police investigation at the time was thorough, with police speaking to over 1200 people both in NSW and interstate as part of the investigation.

"In May 1987 a $50,000 reward was posted by the NSW Government, as well as the offer of a free pardon to any accomplice who did not commit the crime who provided information."Unfortunately, these inquiries could not identify a clear suspect."Strike Force Alister was formed in March 2009. The NSW Police Behavioural Science Team has been extensively consulted regarding analysis of the crime scene behaviours, and the capabilities and likely characteristics of the offender.

"Both women's families have spent the last quarter of a century wondering what happened to their loved one."

"They deserve closure and the person or persons responsible deserve to be behind bars."Georgina's brother David Booth welcomed the substantial reward offer and urged those who knew something to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

"There is someone out there who has information about my sister's death," he said."Unfortunately, their conscience has not been enough to get them to contact police.

"I hope that this reward is enough to change their mind, and to give my family and CatherineÏ's some answers as to what happened that night," Mr Booth said.

Detective Senior Constable Matt Packham of the Unsolved Homicide Squad said the double murder remained a blight on the Cowra community.

"The murder of Cathy Holmes and Georgina Watmore remains the subject of much speculation, innuendo and gossip within the township, contributing to the heartache and grief of the family and friends of the girls," he said.

"We will continue to knock on doors, speaking to people, pursuing persons of interest and lines of enquiry, until this matter is resolved."

As news of the brutal slaying of a woman and her two grandchildren emerged yesterday, memories resurfaced of two other unsolved murders 21 years ago.

Best friends Georgina Watmore, 24, and mother-of-two Katherine Pollard, 28, were bludgeoned to death in Ms Pollard's Cowra house in the early hours of April 15, 1987.

A homicide detective at the time called the scene "a bloodbath". The pair were believed to have been murdered with a tomahawk or tyre lever, but the weapon has never been found.

They had held a small all-night party at the house for a few close friends in the lead-up to the Easter holidays, with Ms Pollard leaving her two daughters with their grandmother on the Central Coast for the night.

But after the party ended, they were brutally murdered in the front bedroom of the house.

Ms Pollard, who was also known by the surname Holmes, was hit 15 times with the weapon as she slept on her bed, while Ms Watmore suffered five blows.

When the gruesome deaths were discovered by a neighbour Robyn Moulder - who saw blood splattered on the bedroom curtains, window and walls - Ms Watmore was still alive but she died a short time later on the way to hospital.

Other neighbours later reported to police that they had heard a "large, screeching scream" that night.

While no one has ever been arrested over the murders, they are believed to have been under renewed investigation by the unsolved homicide squad, which uses new DNA technology to help find killers.

Residents revisit unsolved murders

YESTERDAY'S deaths have awoken horrendous memories for the inhabitants of Cowra who were living there 21 years ago when an axe was also used as a murder weapon in the town.

The murders of Georgina Watmore, 24, and Katherine Pollard, 28, remain unsolved 21 years after they were hacked to death with an axe after a small house party that ended about 3am on April 15, 1987.

The two women, who worked together at the Edgell cannery, were killed after the other party-goers had left the house.

They were discovered the next day by a colleague when they failed to turn up to work. The walls of the house were splattered with blood.

With a murderer on the loose, the crime terrified residents of the peaceful town, previously best known for its prisoner of war breakout in 1944.

Ms Pollard was described as a popular person who had no enemies, while Ms Watmore was bright, friendly and attractive, the Herald reported in 1987.

Ms Watmore's uncle, Clem Watmore, said yesterday it had never discovered who was responsible for the murder.

"It was just case closed," Mr Watmore said.

"I don't think [Ms Watmore's mother] ever got over Georgina."

The brothers of two women brutally bludgeoned to death more than 23 years ago are hoping a new $200,000 reward will help break the unsolved case.

Catherine Holmes, a 28-year-old mother of two, and her close friend and colleague, Georgina Watmore, 24, were killed in the early hours of April 15, 1987, after a small party at Ms Holmes' home in Cowra, central eastern NSW.

The pair, who worked together at a Cowra cannery, were killed with an unknown weapon as they slept and were discovered by a neighbour in the morning.

Despite interviewing more than 1,200 people, detectives have been unable to catch the pair's killer or killers.

"It's been 23 years and we would like to see some closure," Tony Pollard, Ms Holmes' brother, told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

"All the families are, I guess, for want of a better word, excited that we've got some momentum going and something positive will come out of the reward and continuing investigations."

David Booth, Ms Watmore's brother, said in a statement: "There is someone out there who has information about my sister's death."

NSW Police Minister Michael Daley announced the fresh reward of $200,000 for information that might help solve the mystery.

A $50,000 reward was previously offered in May 1987 along with immunity for any accomplice of the killer or killers who came forward with information.

Mr Daley said immunity had now been withdrawn.

"It's true to say that the investigation as yet has not borne the fruit we would like it to have," he told reporters.

He appealed for any information about the case, no matter how irrelevant it may seem, to be passed to police.

Detective Inspector John Lehman, of the NSW Unsolved Homicide Squad, said there had previously been suspects in the case.

But he said it remained unclear what the exact motive for the killings was.

Police formed Strike Force Alister in March 2009 to take a fresh look at the murders.

Police behavioural science experts have been drafted in to try and work out particular characteristics of the killer or killers.

$200,000 NSW Government Reward offered for Double Murder of Catherine Holmes and Georgina Watmore

Cowra triple axe murder: Reminder of 1987 slayings

Residents revisit unsolved murders