00:00Two decades ago, Warrnambool was rocked by the murder of a young woman.
00:13Alison Seeley was found dead in her bed, bludgeoned to death by an unknown assailant in the seaside
00:19city located three hours west of Melbourne, Victoria.
00:23It was 2003, the US invaded Iraq.
00:29Apple released its third generation iPod and tennis great Roger Federer won his first
00:33Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.
00:41In Warrnambool, best known for migrating whales and the iconic Fletcher Jones silver ball,
00:46a number of residents lost their jobs at local factories that year.
00:49Our louts list was developed with violent and aggressive punters turned away from local
00:54hotels and the Botanic Gardens became home to 450 grey-headed flying foxes.
01:01But it was the death of the 35-year-old Warrnambool woman that really stunned the city as residents
01:07woke to the news on August 1, 2003.
01:10Alison went to a friend's house the night before, heading home about 8pm because she
01:15had a sore throat.
01:16When she didn't attend work the next morning and phone calls went unanswered, a concerned
01:22friend went to check on her at her Wandstead Street unit.
01:25With a key to the front door, she let herself in and was shocked to find her friend was
01:29dead inside.
01:31Alison Seeley, a sociable and popular woman who was close to her friends and family, had
01:35been smashed over the head with a blunt object.
01:39Police believe the killer locked the door on the way out.
01:42In the spare room of her home, police found a bed with a missing leg.
01:45The size and weight of the item could be consistent with the object used to inflict Alison's
01:50fatal injuries, but the suspected weapon has never been found.
01:54In the 21 years since her death, an inquest has been held, a $100,000 reward for information
01:59offered, and a suspect charged but later cleared of any wrongdoing.
02:03Still to this day, justice has not been achieved.
02:06Today, The Standard launches our podcast, Answers for Alison.
02:11We hope to talk to anyone who knew Alison or has information about the murder.
02:16To uncover answers and give the family some sort of closure after all these years.
02:22Over the years, The Standard has spoken to police and family members who continue to
02:29seek answers.
02:31In the days after her death in her Wandstead Street home, Alison's production coordinator
02:36at her workplace, Nygresha of Hamilton, spoke to The Standard.
02:41David Peterson said Alison was a jovial person who loved life.
02:45She had a lovely personality, just a terrific person, such a bright spark, he said.
02:50She fitted in really well with all the guys and was extremely well liked.
02:54You could quite easily have a joke with her and she'd give back what she got.
03:00At the time, two Wandstead Street residents, who didn't want to be named, said they were
03:05living in fear after the murder.
03:07If we knew he was caught and locked up, we wouldn't mind, one said.
03:10This has really put the wind up us, definitely.
03:13We are scared and shocked.
03:15Detective Ron Iddles of the Homicide Squad said her injuries were caused by a weapon
03:20which had been found inside the home.
03:22However, he declined to identify the weapon or give further details.
03:26He said police had examined the unit and had not found signs of forced entry.
03:30At the time, he said it was too early for police to determine whether Alison knew her
03:34attacker.
03:35A neighbour said Alison had lived in her Wandstead Street unit for three or four years.
03:40She was a really friendly person and I don't know why anyone would want to hurt her, the
03:44neighbour said.
03:45She stuck to herself and wouldn't hurt anybody.
03:47She was a pretty nice young lady.
03:49She got along with anybody.
03:51Alison's father, John, spoke to The Standard about his daughter in the wake of her murder.
03:55She was very independent and if you were her friend, she would do anything for you, he
04:00said.
04:01He said he last spoke to his daughter days before her death, after a photo of him was
04:05published in the Portland newspaper, where he lived.
04:08Showing me about that on Thursday to tell me how good it was, he said.
04:11At the time, he said he hoped police would find answers.
04:15We need to sort of close the issue and they have just been unbelievable, he said of police.
04:21In November 2004, The Standard reported a man charged with murdering Alison had been
04:26set free.
04:30Michael John Molseed had been charged with her murder after a 13-month investigation.
04:36However, the charge was withdrawn by police.
04:40Detective Sergeant Ron Iddles of the Melbourne Homicide Squad said after a review of the
04:44evidence, in addition to considering material which had come to light since the defendant
04:49was charged, a decision was reached to withdraw the charges.
04:53The case, however, remains open and will continue to be actively investigated, he said.
04:59In 2006, police from the Homicide Squad arrived in Warrnambool to once again doorknock residents
05:05in Wanstead Street, seeking answers.
05:07At the time, police said, we believe that a female person, if able to be identified,
05:12may in fact have a connection with the offender or may have information.
05:16Officers also asked residents if they heard wood chopping on the night of the murder.
05:21In 2010, an inquest into Alison's death was held.
05:25In that year, a $100,000 reward for information about her death was also announced.
05:31The inquest heard Alison loaned her nephew Michael Molseed money when he was down on
05:35his luck and did small favours for him.
05:38Warrnambool coroner Jonathan Lestad said there were reasons to suspect Mr Molseed was responsible
05:43for the injuries that caused Alison's death.
05:46However, he agreed there was still not enough evidence to establish a case.
05:50At the time, Mr Molseed was believed to be in Western Australia.
05:54In 2018 and 2023, police again urged anyone with information to come forward.
06:00The standard journalists Jessica Howard and Monique Patterson recently spoke to a number
06:05of residents in Wanstead Street.
06:07Now, you were living here in the time that the tragedy happened across the road, is that right?
06:16Ah, yeah, that was about 21 years ago.
06:19I've been shocked to think that we had a murder in the, you know, in the street.
06:25You could imagine it to be pretty, you know, I think horrified to think, I mean, anybody
06:30in this street could have been a victim, it could have been, could have been any of us.
06:35Are you shocked that no one's been charged with the murder?
06:38Yeah.
06:39Hmm.
06:40And living in this street, have you heard a lot of rumours about what might have happened?
06:44Ah, well, we think it was somebody that knew her.
06:48Yeah.
06:49Do you hope that someone is charged one day?
06:52Well, I mean, I hope to goodness, because they have been, you know, solving, you know,
06:57cases, cold cases, give her a family closure.
07:01Remember which house it was?
07:04It was sort of flat up the other end there.
07:07The other end, okay.
07:08Were you shocked?
07:09Oh, yeah, I couldn't believe it.
07:12She was alright, she was a good woman.
07:15She wasn't a bad woman.
07:18It was a bit scary.
07:20Our kids were only little at that stage.
07:22I think actually the detectives went around all the house.
07:26I think I remember them coming with a bit of a, you know, a doorknock.
07:28And over the years, have you heard rumours about what probably happened?
07:32Yeah, I think we heard rumours about some relationship affairs.
07:36I think just being a woman, I suppose, we would lock the door.
07:40A bit, you know, frightened of people, strangers.
07:43But I guess, I guess we thought someone was, they'd find who did it.
07:47And do you hope they still do?
07:49Yeah, yeah.
07:50Do you think that the family deserves some sort of answers?
07:53Oh, for sure.
07:54Yeah, yeah, for sure.
07:56Just not knowing.
07:57You know, I mean, just closure.
07:59Just closure.
08:00It's obvious it's Warrnambool.
08:02You sort of think you're immune to it and that sort of stuff.
08:11That was episode one of Answers for Alison.
08:15Make sure you're subscribed to the Warrnambool Standard
08:17to keep up to date with the investigation.
08:20The Standard is available online or through our newsletters and app.
08:25If you have information about the case,
08:27please email answersforalison at gmail.com
08:32That's Alison with two L's.
08:34A-L-L-I-S-O-N
08:39Thank you again for listening and we'll see you in the next episode.
Comments