Guilty verdict delivered for

Janelle Patton murder

he conviction of New Zealand
national Glenn McNeill for the March
2002 murder of Janelle Patton
marked an end to one of the most
sensational and disturbing chapters
of Norfolk Island’s history.

It also drew a close to the 32-year career of

Detective Sergeant Bob Peters, who retired
from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on
31 March 2007 – the fifth anniversary of
Janelle Patton’s murder.

Detective Sergeant Peters had postponed

his scheduled retirement for three years
in order to find the person responsible
for the vicious attack on the 29-year-old
Ms Patton. Together with Detective
Sergeant Tony Edmondson and Detective he Norfolk Island Court House was refitted to accommodate the intense media interest in the
Senior Constable Mark Elvin – he Janelle Patton murder trial.

worked through four years of painstaking

dumped her body in the Cockpit Waterfall disappeared sometime after 11.45am on
investigation to arrest Mr McNeill as the
Reserve. her daily walk along Rooty Hill Road. She
suspect, and then another year to bring
him to trial. A rainstorm had hit the island shortly after had been seen before her disappearance
3pm on Easter Sunday – after Ms Patton’s by a number of locals. However, she failed
Speaking after the verdict was announced
body was dumped in the reserve – and to meet her parents, who were visiting
on 9 March 2007, Detective Sergeant
washed away what could have been vital from Sydney, for lunch at 1pm. It was
Peters downplayed his commitment to
evidence. during this time that she was murdered.
bring the case to a resolution by saying that
as a police officer, “if you’re not willing to A voluntary fingerprinting exercise of Local rumour, innuendo and
finish something, you shouldn’t start it”. Norfolk Island residents was conducted misinformation hampered the
in August 2002 in an attempt to identify investigation, with the investigation team
he investigation started immediately
some of the seven possible fingerprints often receiving information that was later
after Ms Patton’s body – with more than
found on the black plastic. AFP members determined to be malicious gossip.
60 separate injuries – was found partially
Wayne Morrell, Bruce Comber, Susan
wrapped in black plastic shortly after 6pm A coronial inquest in June 2004 returned
Eggers, Susan Palzer, Peter Lawler, Ian
on Easter Sunday by two New Zealand an open finding. During the inquest,
“Herbie” Prior and Scott Saywell travelled
tourists out for an evening stroll. Detective Sergeant Peters named 16
to the island to fingerprint more than 1300
he investigation team knew the names of residents turning up one positive match persons of interest because of their
all 2771 men, women and children on the – that of local carpenter Steve Cochrane, connection to the evidence gathered, their
8km by 5km volcanic outcrop that day, yet later found to have no connection with relationships to Janelle Patton and through
no one saw anything to definitively identify the murder. It became apparent during the information (and misinformation)
who murdered Janelle Patton and then the investigation was that Janelle Patton volunteered to the investigation.

18 Platypus Magazine | Edition 94, April 2007

Four months after the coronial inquest, on residence, the property next door – which to share a similar DNA profile to that of Ms
28 October 2004, Detective Sergeant had been a building site that Steve Patton. he examiners also found pieces
Peters received a call about a new lead. Cochrane had worked on around the time of glass that could have come from the
A set of prints on the black plastic was of the murder – and the car, in storage at same source as glass found in Ms Patton’s
found to belong to a New Zealand national the Norfolk Island Police station. hair and in an area next to the carport at
Glenn McNeill, a relative unknown to the Mr McNeill’s residence.
Detective Sergeant Peters praised crime
investigation, who had left the island to
scene examiners Katrina Gates, Bruce After the analysis was complete, Detective
return to his home town of Nelson six
Comber and Forensic Scientist Dr Naomi Sergeants Peters and Edmondson travelled
weeks after Janelle Patton’s murder.
Speers for their work in methodically to New Zealand and, assisted by New
he investigation team of Detective examining the car in a makeshift clean Zealand Detective Sergeant Chris Roberts,
Sergeants Peters and Edmondson and room in the garage of the Norfolk Island arrested Mr McNeill at his Nelson home on
Detective Senior Constable Mark Elvin police station. he trio wore heavy overalls, 1 February 2006.
was re-formed to make enquiries into gloves, face masks and surgical caps and
Following his arrest, Mr McNeill confessed
Mr McNeill and his possible involvement worked 16-hour days as they went through
the car piece-by-piece in a room covered in to stabbing Ms Patton, but claimed he
in the murder. hey found that Mr McNeill
black plastic during weather averaging 26 had accidentally hit her with his car
had owned a white Honda Civic sedan and
degrees and 95 per cent humidity. while driving along Rooty Hill Road.
they found it four days before Christmas
he video tape of this confession was a
2004 in the backyard of a residence in he evidence they collected proved critical
Little Cutters Corn – the same street where key prosecution exhibit during the trial.
to the investigation. A sample of Janelle
Mr McNeill had lived with his then-wife. Mr McNeill was committed to stand trial in
Patton’s DNA was found on the lid of the
August 2006 and chose to plead not guilty
From 7 February 2005, the investigation car boot, while a hair found in the boot was
at his trial, which began on 1 February
team searched Mr McNeill’s former analysed in the United States and found
2007.

After more than 11 hours of deliberations,

the jury returned with a guilty verdict and
Mr McNeill was remanded in custody and
is expected to be sentenced in late May or
early June.

Recounting his experiences, Detective

Sergeant Peters acknowledged the
contribution of all AFP members who
were part of the investigation including
those named previously, along with
Petra Clissold, Leigh Coutts, Vincent
Otieno-Alego, David Royds, Ben Kwok,
Jo Lee, Liz Brooks, James Robertson and
Phil Herd from Forensic Criminalistics;
and Phil Van Dissell and Geoff Brown of
Detective Sergeants Tony Edmondson and Bob Peters approaching the Norfolk Island court. Intelligence support.

Platypus Magazine | Edition 94, April 2007 19