Deceased
Linda Jane Stilwell
Demographics
7y, female
Date of death
1968-08-10
Finding date
2014-10-30
Cause of death
Abduction and death by foul play by Derek Ernest Percy
AI-generated summary
Linda Stilwell, aged 7, disappeared from the St Kilda foreshore on 10 August 1968. This finding is the result of a 2004 cold case review into her abduction and death. Following investigation and inquest hearing, the Deputy State Coroner found that Derek Percy, a serial child killer, was responsible for her death. Percy was arrested in 1969 for the murder of Yvonne Tuohy and found not guilty on grounds of insanity. Evidence linking Percy to Linda's death includes witness testimony of a man matching his description seen with Linda, Percy's alleged admission to school friend Ron Anderson that he was in St Kilda that day, Percy's handwritten notes and maps marking the area, and similarities in his modus operandi across multiple child abductions and murders spanning 1965-1969. Percy died in custody in 2013. This case demonstrates the value of systematic cold case review, multi-jurisdictional cooperation, and expert analysis in identifying likely perpetrators of unsolved historical crimes.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
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