In 2023 Nicole Morris, director of the Australian Missing Persons Register, published her best selling book Vanished which shared the stories of a few prominent cases of the many thousands of people who go missing in Australia.
55,000 people go missing each year in Australia – most are found safe within a few days but some are never found.
This September Morris will bring out a follow up book Missing: More true stories from families of Australian missing persons, it will be released on September 4th 2024.
This book features 12 new cases – from a West Australian man entangled in the dangers of online dating, to an Adelaide father possibly linked to Australia’s most notorious serial killings, Morris uncovers haunting tales of those who vanished without a trace.
Three mothers leaving behind bewildered children, a young hitchhiker lost on a desolate Queensland highway, and two Sydney men who lost their way—all woven into the fabric of inexplicable disappearances.
The narrative spans decades, from the 1980s to present-day mysteries, including the puzzling case of a gentle Greenpeace worker vanishing amidst inner-city Melbourne, the suspicious disappearance of a 21-year-old, and the grim discovery of scattered remains in Queensland, unravelling a harrowing tale of violence and tragedy. And then there is the perplexing case of a man who went missing over and over again.
Missing sheds light on the untold stories of those who vanished, leaving behind a void of unanswered questions and enduring pain. Nicole Morris brings attention to the cold cases from families of missing persons, raising awareness, and hopefully uncovering new leads for desperate families searching for the truth.
One of the cases highlighted in the new book will be the disappearance of Perth man Rigby Fielding.
Rigby Fielding disappeared in August 2015 and has not been seen since
Rigby Fielding was a member of Perth’s LGBTIQ+ communities, he was last seen in Goderich Street in East Perth on Saturday 15th August 2015 and has not made contact with family or friends since. His disappearance was described as out of character.
The 53 year old retired chef was living with his sister and mother in Rockingham but regularly spent time with friends in the city area.
Police have been treating his disappearance as a potential homicide since December of 2015, when some personal belongings were located in bush land south of Perth.
Rigby’s sister Steph has previously spoken to OUTinPerth about the challenges her family has faced in not knowing what happened to their brother.
“Someone knows what happened to Rig and we are pleading with them to come forward so that we can have closure and say goodbye to him.” Steph said.
Steph later told the ABC her family as in a state of perpetual grief. “It’s perpetual grief, you don’t get a chance to have any finality of a funeral or any resolve, it’s an ongoing ambiguous loss. You’re always wondering ‘is there a chance they are still there?’”
While the Fielding family have come to realise that it unlikely that they will see Rigby alive, they still want to know what happened to him.
Crime Stoppers can be contacted anonymously on 1800 333 000.
This week the Facebook page Australian Missing Person Register is highlighting many of the cases of people who are missing in Australia.
This year’s Missing Person’s Week has the theme of ‘Always searching’
Australian Federal Police Commander Forensics Joanne Cameron said this year’s National Missing Persons Week theme of ‘Always Searching’ shined a spotlight on the commitment of police across all states and territories to follow every lead.
“The Always Searching campaign is an important reminder to members of the public to report any information to police, because no matter how small the detail may be, it could be the missing piece of the puzzle that brings peace to the family of a missing person,” Commander Cameron said.
“With the important ongoing conversation and public focus on combating violence against women, the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre has chosen these cases to remind the public that the police are committed to following every lead to bring justice for the families of missing loved ones.
“Police from around Australia work tirelessly to resolve these cases and find missing people. I encourage anyone who may have information about a missing person to share it via Crime Stoppers, either on their website www.crimestoppers.com.au or by calling 1800 333 000. This can be anonymous.”
In Australia, a missing person is defined as anyone who is reported missing to police, whose whereabouts are unknown, and where there are fears for the safety, or concern for the welfare, of that person. A long-term missing person is someone who has been missing for more than three months.
