Forensic testing reveals human remains found in Coffs Harbour belong to woman in her 50s
/ By Charles Rushforth, Jasmine Kassis, and Seja Al ZaidiIn short:
Police have revealed new details about a complete human skeleton discovered in Coffs Harbour, NSW in June.
They have established the human remains belong to a woman in her 50s who died between 2020 and 2023.
What's next?
Investigators are searching national missing persons databases as they try to confirm her identity.
Forensic testing has revealed fresh clues to the identity of human remains discovered on the mid north coast of New South Wales.
Police were called to Jetty Beach in Coffs Harbour on June 18 when a volunteer doing bushland regeneration work discovered a complete human skeleton in a shallow grave near the tourist beach.
Investigators have established the remains belong to a woman aged between 50 and 60 who is believed to have died between 2020 and 2023.
Superintendent for Coffs Clarence Police District Joanne Schultz said forensic testing would continue across national DNA databases.
"We have managed to obtain DNA evidence. We're now putting that information out across Australia to see if there are any matches there," she said.
"In NSW we haven't been able to link her to any other missing person."
Superintendent Schultz said personal items discovered at the scene, including silver earings, hairclips, a backpack, and copy of the paperback book The Butterfly Summer, would help the search to identity the deceased.
"That is the picture we've got of this person," she said.
"It might trigger something for somebody, they might remember something.
"We're just asking the community to search their memories, if they were in the area around that time, sometime between 2021 and 2023 and potentially saw somebody."
Strike Force Osbox has been established together with state's Missing Persons Unit to investigate the circumstances surrounding the woman's death.
"Inquiries are still continuing to identify what may have happened, we're keeping our options open." Superintendent Schultz said.
A future place of healing
After making the discovery last month, Jetty Dunecare President Desnee McCosker and other volunteers planted a tree to pay respect to the deceased woman.
"It was a tragic thing to have happen, we needed to remember it in a kind way," Ms McCosker said.
Volunteers planted a coastal banksia, which is endemic across the coastal shoreline of Coffs Harbour.
"Hopefully, once their family is found, this will become a place of healing," Ms McCosker said.
"This has really helped us today."
The area where the remains were discovered is a place of cultural significance to the Traditional Owners of the Coffs Harbour, the Gumbainggir people.
The area contains a mens initiation place and sacred women's area. Secretary of the Garlambirla Guuyu-girrwaa Aboriginal Elders Corporation Tina Powell said it was appropriate the tragedy had been memorialised.
"I can feel that my elders and ancestors are watching all of this area, and also her, and making sure that there is peace and harmony." Ms Powell said.