Ex-partner named in missing woman case

THE former partner of a Tasmanian mother who went missing from her Devonport home in 1978 has been named as a suspect in what police now think was her untimely death.

In 2015, Tasmania Police announced it would review the missing person case of Darlene Geertsema, saying she may have fallen victim to foul play.

Police said her former partner was a person of interest in the case.

On Thursday, at a case management hearing in Launceston, Coroner Simon Cooper was told John Shepherd, of Westbury, was that person.

Mr Shepherd, now in his 70s, was in the court and will reappear at a coronial investigation starting on December 13.

Thursday’s hearing heard Mr Shepherd was in a relationship with Ms Geertsema at the time of her disappearance and the relationship was known to be turbulent.

Mr Cooper was also told

Ms Geertsema was planning to leave Tasmania with her two children.

On the night of October 23, 1978, the then 31-year-old drove off from her home in Best St.

She was never seen again. Her two children, an eight-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son were home at the time.

It was Mr Shepherd who later reported Ms Geertsema missing. Ms Geertsema’s red Holden Sunbird was found in a carpark near Devonport Oval two days after she drove off from her home.

But fresh evidence revealed the car had actually been seen there the day before.

The last known information is that the car – registration number AS4119 – was sold by an unknown person to a Launceston car yard in 1984. It was deregistered in 1987.

In 2015, Detective Inspector Kim Steven said police recently reinterviewed a number of people who knew Ms Geertsema, including a person now regarded as someone of interest to the investigation. “The disappearance of a friend or neighbour is a significant event and it is likely people who were in her life at the time would still have strong memories, even so many years afterwards,” he said.

“We are particularly keen to speak with anyone who knew Ms Geertsema or her partner at the time but was never asked to provide a statement to police.

“The vehicle may also provide opportunities for forensic analysis and we are seeking information on what may have happened to it after it was sold from the Launceston car yard.”