Bikie ‘likely’ murdered young mum
Coroner rules on 2012 missing person’s case
Young mother Tina Greer was murdered by her ex-partner - a violent, paranoid bikie, a coroner has found.
Coroner Kerrie O’Callaghan said while she couldn’t be sure where or how the 32-year-old was killed on or about January 18, 2012 she likely did “suffer a violent death” at the hands of Finks bikie Les “Grumpy” Sharman. Her body has never been found.
Sharman, who was the last person to see her alive at his Scenic Rim property, was immediately declared a person of interest but refused to be interviewed by police and died in a road accident in 2018.
Ms O’Callaghan said the lack of evidence surrounding how and where Ms Greer died was largely due to Sharman’s ability to conceal evidence and conduct criminal activity in an undetected way.
In handing down her findings in Brisbane on Thursday, Ms O’Callaghan said the investigation into Ms Greer’s disappearance was adequate and thorough.
However, she said the handling of two domestic violence (DV) incidents by officer in charge of Boonah station Sgt Peter Boyce and one DV incident by Snr Con Peter Edbrooke – all in 2010 – was inadequate.
The inquest heard evidence of occasions where Ms Greer was threatened with a firearm, left “black and blue” or feared she would die but police failed to charge Sharman or take out domestic violence orders against him.
Ms O’Callaghan resisted calls by barrister Anna Cappellano, acting for Ms Greer’s daughter, Lili, to recommend that all officers at Boonah police station take part in a mentoring process with a DV specialist. She said this would be unnecessary given the extent of DV training still to be rolled out and the officers had acknowledged they had changed their approach and understanding in relation to DV.
Ms O’Callaghan also found the response by the Salvation Army’s Fairhaven drug and alcohol service to disclosures of DV by Ms Greer was inadequate but the organisation had implemented “overdue” mandatory training to all staff on best practice since the inquest in September.
Ms O’Callaghan made three recommendations, including that Queensland Police updates its procedures so missing persons case officers provide regular updates to informants, family and next of kin of the missing and regularly update the police database QPRIME.
She also recommended police consider appointing a family liaison officer to the missing person’s family in highrisk cases and police set out a process for when officers are to report a missing persons case to the National Public Register of Long Term Missing Persons.
Ms O’Callaghan paid acknowledgment to Lili Greer for her “determination and persistence … in advocating for her mother and other victims of domestic and family violence”.
“Although a number of Lili’s questions in relation to her mother’s disappearance could not be answered in this inquest, I hope she has obtained some benefit and comfort from the information disclosed and outcomes of the inquest,” she said.
“The inquest has provided an opportunity to recognise, emphasise and, where a gap exists, make recommendations for training of various agencies’ staff in the recognition of and support for victims of domestic violence.
“This may prevent deaths occurring in circumstances similar to Tina’s in the future”.
Outside court, Lili, whose grit and determination was responsible for the inquest taking place, said it was important system failures endured by her mother were acknowledged.
“We got the majority of our recommendations through, which is really important for future victims of domestic violence, family members of missing people, people accessing rehab services as well as children whose family members are experiencing domestic violence,” she said.
“There’s a lot more to be changed, this is a really important step.”
However, for Lili, who started the Tina Greer Project and now sits on the board of the Missed Foundation, the search for what exactly happened to her mother continues. “Ambigious lost - that’s what it’s called in terms of missing people. It’s an ongoing … thing you have to learn to live with while pushing through it,” she said.
A $250,000 reward remains on offer for information that leads to the discovery of Ms Greer remains or anyone involved in her death.