Father pleads: I just want some answers PATRICK BILLINGS 05 Jan, 2011 04:00 AM

Father pleads: I just want some answers
PATRICK BILLINGS
05 Jan, 2011 04:00 AM
Six years after the unsolved disappearance of his 24-year-old daughter in Dubbo, Mick Peet is calling for a greater response by authorities.

Lateesha Nolan was last seen in West Dubbo when she left the home of her grandparents saying she would be “back in a sec”, leaving her wallet and cigarettes behind.

Seven months later the body of her cousin’s partner, Kristy Scholes, also 24, was found in the bedroom of the home of Ms Nolan’s cousin Malcolm Naden.

Both mothers lived in the home with Naden who disappeared himself after Ms Scholes’ body was found.

Police have been looking for the former abattoir worker ever since.

In December 2005 Taronga Western Plains Zoo was shut down while about 60 police and a helicopter searched the grounds after a reported sighting of Naden.

The next reported sighting came three years later in Bellbrook about 50 kilometres inland from Kempsey in northern NSW.

According to one report a woman woke up to find the suspected double-murderer wearing a mask and camouflage gear as he loomed over her.

Bellbrook residents also believed Naden, now 37, was behind several break-ins that saw items such as tinned food, binoculars and camping gear stolen.

At the time police said they were taking the reports seriously commenting that some 600 reports into his whereabouts had been made since 2005.

The latest focus on his whereabouts came earlier this year when a pig hunter stumbled across a campsite in the dense bush land of Barrington Tops in the Hunter Valley.

Police say they have now ruled out any link between the campsite and Naden.

The NSW government announced a $50,000 bounty for Naden’s capture, rather than conviction, in 2007.

Mr Peet is calling for this to be quadrupled to match other rewards offered for the state’s outlaws.

These include $200,000 for James Dalamangas who is also wanted in relation to murder while $500,000 is being offered for information relating to the 1999 murder of Gulgong woman Michelle Bright.

Mr Peet believed a larger reward for Naden would increase the likelihood of him being found.

“I just want some answers as to why Malcolm Naden hasn’t been caught, what the police are doing about it and why his reward hasn’t been raised,” he said yesterday.

“I’m trying to get things changed but it is very difficult to get any sort of response from anyone.

“From day one I don’t think there’s been enough done.”

Based in Queensland Mr Peet runs a website and a Facebook page devoted to finding out what happened to his daughter.

“It is something you can’t explain. It goes through my mind, I don’t get sleep, I get so frustrated with him still being out there,” he said.

“I don’t think the news is getting out there quick enough. In Bellbrook I was talking to people ... they actually saw him go into a pub. In that whole town not one person I spoke to knew he was wanted.

“There is just not the publicity out there, it needs to be jacked up.”

Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad encourage the public to contact police if they have any information that may assist with investigations. Police also continue to advise that if anyone sights Naden, do not approach him, but rather contact local police or Crime Stoppers immediately on 1800 333 000.
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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
This poor man is living a nightmare, i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Posted by john, 5/01/2011 5:09:29 AM, on Dubbo Daily Liberal
Liberal, while I am sure I could never comprehend the pain these families are going through, you appear to be constantly republishing the same old information regarding Lateesha Nolan and Malcolm Naden, whenever a vague anniversary or some broken pots are found in the bush.

This actually goes against you - one, printing old news,

two, being completely see-through in your voracious hunt for anything salatious which hits your credibility,

and three, much worse, it helps to set Naden as some sort of mythological creature, which will ultimately be positive for his cause.
Posted by ed van halen, 5/01/2011 8:40:02 AM, on Dubbo Daily Liberal
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Six years, no answers on missing mum BY STEPHEN RYAN 04 Jan, 2011 04:00 AM

It is six years today since Lateesha Nolan went missing, with police still trying to track down double-murder suspect Malcolm Naden, who is believed to be responsible for several burglaries in the Barrington Tops.

Ms Nolan’s father, Mick Peet, said members of his family would hold a small ceremony with candles at their Queensland home today.

Naden is believed to be responsible for Ms Nolan’s disappearance and for murdering one of his cousin’s partners, Kristy Scholes. Both occurred at Dubbo in 2005.

Police previously confirmed that a dedicated strike force had turned its attention to the Barrington Tops and surrounding areas, but Mr Peet said more needed to be done.

He would like to see the $50,000 bounty for Naden’s arrest increased or a greater investment in the search.

‘‘We’ve been trying to get the reward raised for the past six years,’’ Mr Peet said. ‘‘I just don’t think the police are going to get him.’’

Mr Peet said he and his family, including Lateesha’s four young children, needed answers and the only person who could provide those answers was Naden.

‘‘Lateesha’s kids are growing up and asking more and more questions about their mother,’’ Mr Peet said.

‘‘I lost my father last year and he’s gone to his grave not knowing what happened to his granddaughter.’’

Naden is an experienced bushman who fled Dubbo and was believed to be hiding in various parts of the state before being linked to burglaries in the Barrington Tops. Residents suspect he is responsible for many committed between Easter and September last year.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.

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Family wants answers PATRICK BILLINGS 04 Jan, 2011 04:00 AM

If you know anything, anything at all, please come forward and help us find Lateesha.

These are the sentiments expressed by Margaret Walker whose niece Lateesha Nolan went missing six years ago today, leaving four young children and a grieving family behind with no answers.

To mark the dark anniversary her family will be releasing balloons by the Macquarie River and hoping the new year brings some fresh information about their beloved relative.

Teesha, as she was known, was last seen leaving her grandmother’s house in West Dubbo on January 4, 2005.

She had left her four children there, then aged one, three, four and five, about 9.30pm with a promise to return shortly.

The next day her car was found abandoned in a parking bay by the Macquarie River.

Her family has been asking what happened to the striking green-eyed 24-year-old ever since.

“Where is she? Is she dead or alive? That’s the worst part, not knowing where she is. The kids would love to know where there mother is,” Margaret said yesterday.

Speaking to the media will hopefully “jolt somebody’s mind”.

“Lots of people think little things they know isn’t important, but it is,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter how small it is please come forward. You may have seen something or heard something. Surely somebody must talk.”

Also missing is the man wanted in relation to her disappearance. Malcolm Naden has been on the run since 2005 and with a $50,000 bounty on his head is one of the state’s most wanted fugitives.

Police also suspect Naden of murdering his cousin’s partner, 24-year-old mother-of-two Kristy Scholes, found strangled in Naden’s bedroom in 2005 six months after the disappearance of Lateesha.

Both women lived with the 37-year-old at his grandparent’s home in Bumblegumbie Road.

Naden disappeared shortly after the death of Ms Scholes and is also wanted for the alleged indecent assault of a child in 2004.

Efforts to locate Naden have been hampered by both his rumoured ability to survive in the bush and what homicide detectives believe is assistance from others. Reports earlier in the year that he had been hiding out near Barrington Tops in the Hunter Valley have been disproved by police.

Following a number of inquiries made in recent days, police ruled out any links between the campsite and Naden.

In 2005 an apparent sighting of Naden at Taronga Western Plains Zoo resulted in an extensive search of the area.

As of November 2008 he was believed to be hiding in bushland hills in the Kempsey region.

Naden is described as being of Aboriginal appearance, 177cm tall, 85kg, with a medium build, olive complexion, and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Naden’s whereabouts is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Anyone who sees Naden should not approach him but phone triple-0 immediately.
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