A breakthrough in DNA technology has helped police identify a suspect in the murder of a young mum whose death has remained a mystery for nearly five decades.
Western Australian Police also believe the suspect may have been linked to two other long unsolved murder cases.
Kerryn Tate, 22, was last seen alive by friends on the morning of December 29, 1979 in the Perth suburb of Mount Lawley.
The mother-of-two’s body was discovered in dense bushland in Karragullen the next morning by forestry workers who were called to the Canning Dam catchment following reports of a fire.
A post-mortem found Ms Tate had suffered severe head injuries from a large piece of wood before being set alight.
A DNA sample belonging to a man long believed to have been Ms Tate’s killer was collected from the scene.
That DNA profile was recently analysed by WA Police’s investigative genetic geneaology team and linked the sample to Terence John Fisher.
But he’ll never be brought to justice as the former soldier and carpenter, then 50, died from cancer in 2000.
Mother-of-two Kerryn Tate (pictured) was found dead in the Canning Dam catchment area near Perth in 1979
Terence Fisher (pictured) was named as a suspect in Ms Tate’s murder following DNA testing
If he was still alive today, Fisher would also be a person of interest in the deaths of two other WA women.
Barbara Western, 38, was last seen on June 27, 1986 after a night out with friends in East Victoria Park.
Her body was discovered by wood collectors almost five years later within several hundred metres of where Ms Tate’s remains were found.
Kerry Turner, 18, was last seen getting into a car in East Victoria Park in 1991. Her body was discovered behind a log in the Canning Dam area a month later.
While Fisher will not face justice for the alleged murders, police will continue to investigate his past activities.
‘We are trying to build a picture of Mr Fisher’s regular movements, of his routine,’ Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Dion Selby said.
‘For example, we know he regularly attended a sailing club in Fremantle,’
‘We know he lived in Rivervale and Manning areas at the time of Ms Tate’s murder.
Police believe Fisher may also be connected to the mysterious 1986 death of Barbara Western (pictured)
Kerry Turner (pictured), 18 when her body was discovered in the Canning Dam area a month after she disappeared in 1991
Police executed a search warrant at Terence John Fisher’s former home in Manning on Thursday – 25 years after he died from cancer
‘There is much we know about him, but we want to know more.’
Police executed a search warrant on Fisher’s former home in Manning on Thursday.
Footage released by police showed forensic officers taking photos around the home and driving an excavator down the side of the property.
MsTate was the mother of twin girls.
Tragically one daughter Amber died at 20 weeks due to SIDS in 1977. The other was just two-years-old when her mother died.
Ms Tate’s family were relieved to learn who was responsible for her killing.
‘It gives you peace of mind to know [Fisher] is not going to hurt anybody else,’ her younger sister Annemarie said.
‘I wouldn’t use the word ‘closure’… but, yeah, it feels quite good.’
Annemarie, who was 15 at the time of her sister’s death looked up to Kerryn.
‘She was a nice person and social and a bit of a hippie,’ she said.
Police released images of an excavator being operated at Fisher’s former residence on Thursday
Kerryn Tate’s siblings, Annemarie (left) and Matt (right) have urged the public to come forward with any relevant information
Ms Tate’s brother Matt was taking a holiday in Victoria when he learned of his sister’s death through a newspaper article.
‘You didn’t have mobile phones in those days… It was quite horrific to go through that.,’ he recalled.
Mr Tate described the latest development as uplifting.
‘I know Annemarie doesn’t like using ‘closure’, but I do,’ he said.
‘I was three years younger than Kerryn, so we were quite close.’
Mr Tate urged Fisher’s former associates to ‘speak up’.
‘You must have some sort of clue [as to] what was going on in his life,’ he said.
‘There was something strange about the whole thing… Somebody doesn’t just kill anybody for any odd reason.
Terence Fisher lived in Rivervale and Manning around the time of Ms Tate’s murder
Police believe the genetic tests that named Terence John Fisher as a suspect will assist in countless other cases
‘People don’t realise what they know, even if it’s just a little, insignificant little thing, just bring that forward’.
He said his sister was ‘a very nice person… I wish she were still alive.’
Police said Fisher worked as a carpenter on government buildings across Perth and surrounding rural areas.
‘I strongly urge anyone who knew him while he was alive to reach out to police via Crime Stoppers and share that information – big or small, it could be paramount to the investigation,’ Detective Selby said.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Coombes said the state’s genetic investigations team is nation-leading and will hopefully assist in solving a number of similar cold cases.
‘These crimes are so horrific for the victims and the families and to solve them after an extended period is a fantastic outcome.
‘The 60 cases that we currently have, we’re confident we’ll make some significant process on most of those… but we’re also identifiying many more.’
