Inquest into the Suspected Death of Wombat NGURRAKATA

54y · Male·Open Finding—unable to determine manner or cause of death

This coronial finding concerns a long-term missing persons case from 1988. Wombat Ngurrakata, an Indigenous elder and senior lawman from Fitzroy Crossing, disappeared while hunting near Broome on 17 January 1988 and was …

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Michael PETA

36y · Male·Unknown – Open Finding

Michael Peta, a Papua New Guinean national employed in Western Australia, disappeared from the Catholic Presbytery in Broome on 15 January 1975 at age 36–37. The coroner established beyond reasonable doubt that he is dec…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Edward John GIBBARD

51y · Male·Undetermined - Open Finding

Edward John Gibbard, a 51-year-old British merchant seaman, disappeared on the night of 23 December 1976 after leaving Lake Argyle Inn in Western Australia's Kimberley region to drive to Kununurra for a flight to Perth. …

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Simon MARBIN

57y · Male·Unable to determine with clarity; open finding

Simon Marbin, a 57-year-old Aboriginal man, disappeared on 12 December 1992 from Bayulu Community while traveling to Muludja Community near Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia. He was last seen after breakfast at Wally S…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Winifred Mary PEACE

31y · Female·Open finding—manner and cause unknown; coroner doubted natural causes but unable…

Winifred Mary Peace disappeared on 22 October 1959 from her home in Bentley, Western Australia, following a prolonged domestic argument with her husband Edward over severe financial difficulties and his infidelity. She w…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Sylvina TARI

72y · Female·Unknown - could be natural or accidental; no cause determined

Sylvina Tari, an elderly Aboriginal woman aged approximately 72, disappeared from Kalumburu Mission in Western Australia in August 1977. She was found to have died between late 1981 and early 1982, but her death was neve…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Fred JACKAMORA

54y · Male·Open finding - manner and cause undetermined

Fred Jackamora, an Aboriginal man in his mid-50s, disappeared from Kalumburu Mission on 9 November 1983 while attempting to walk approximately 350 kilometres to Mount Elizabeth Station to visit relatives. He was last see…

Inquest into the Death of Nualla Christine REILLY

74y · Female·Multiple injuries sustained when struck by train

A 74-year-old woman with borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety and type 2 diabetes died by suicide after absconding from Fiona Stanley Hospital Emergency Department. She had been on extended psychiatric ad…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Yilmbut UMBUL

73y · Female·Open finding - either natural death from medical conditions (hypertension, angin…

Yilmbut Umbul, a 73-year-old Aboriginal woman living at Walmbie Camp near Kalumburu Mission, disappeared in early March 1982. She was frail, with a history of hypertension, angina requiring daily medication, and document…

Inquest into the Death of Brendan John THOMPSON

__skipped__

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Thomas Dominic RAE

25y · Male·immersion in water (drowning)

Thomas Dominic Rae, aged 25, disappeared while rock fishing at Shelley Beach, Western Australia on 7 July 2019 and is presumed drowned. He had a history of mental health issues (anxiety, depression, bipolar affective dis…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Paddy NANCE

67y · Male·Unable to determine

Paddy Nance, a 66–68 year-old Aboriginal man, disappeared from Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia on 30 September 1999 and was declared deceased by inquest in 2020. He left a relative's home after breakfast, was last se…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Ngoolbu WALLABY

76y · Male·Undetermined - likely medical emergency or misadventure during trek

This is not a medical case. Ngoolbu Wallaby, a 76-year-old Aboriginal elder, disappeared in February 1977 while walking approximately 60 kilometres from Christmas Creek Station to Fitzroy Crossing in remote Western Austr…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Tojo WANDARAGAH

53y · Male·Unable to determine; most likely explanation is that deceased wandered into bush…

Tojo Wandaragah, a 53-year-old Aboriginal man, disappeared from Pandanus Park Community on 27 March 1991 in an intoxicated state. Despite extensive police and SES searches, he was never located. The coroner established d…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Bryon Harold WELLINGTON

46y · Male·Open finding—manner and cause undetermined. Death established but whether from n…

Bryon Harold Wellington, a 46-year-old man, disappeared from a roadside location on Gibb River Road in Western Australia's Kimberley region on 16 November 1994 while waiting with a broken-down vehicle. He had been drinki…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Toshiyuki HATAKEYAMA

20y · Male·Drowning by immersion in the sea

Toshiyuki Hatakeyama, a 20-year-old Japanese pearl diver, fell overboard from the pearling lugger Kim during rough seas on 6 August 1979 approximately 12 kilometres west of Cape Latouche Treville. He was observed falling…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Tatao HIYOMORI

33y · Male·Unable to determine - likely immersion following disappearance at sea

Tatao Hiyomori, a 33-year-old Japanese engineering crew member, disappeared from the fishing vessel Kiyo Maru 5 on 8 January 1986 in the Southern Indian Ocean approximately 30 nautical miles south-west of Rottnest Island…

Inquest into the Suspected Death of Derek Spencer WATTS

32y · Male·Drowning

Derek Spencer Watts, a 32-year-old coal miner, disappeared while rock fishing at Bob's Hollow, Margaret River on 30 January 1977. He was washed off a ledge by successive waves while attempting to gaff a fish in rough sea…

Inquest into the Death of Hassan BECHARA

52y · Male·ischaemic heart disease

Hassan Bechara, a 52-year-old prisoner, died from ischaemic heart disease in July 2017. He had complex cardiac history including dilated cardiomyopathy, triple-vessel coronary disease, and previous cardiac procedures. Cl…

Inquest into the Death of Benedict Chifley David CANDY

66y · Male·bronchopneumonia in a man with invasive sarcoma-like tumour of the head, with te…

Benedict Chifley David Candy, a 66-year-old sentenced prisoner, died from bronchopneumonia complicating invasive sarcoma-like tumour of the head with terminal palliative care. He had a recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma tha…