RETIRED COP: ’MY SHOCK CONNECTION TO IVAN MILAT’
FORMER DETECTIVE HUGH HUGHES BELIEVES HIS RELATIVE, KEREN ROWLAND, WAS THE SERIAL KILLER’S FIRST VICTIM
Aretired detective has discovered an unlikely connection between him and Australia’s most notorious backpacker serial killer, Ivan Milat.
Detective sergeant Hugh Hughes, a former UK cop from Borth, Wales, says he has found evidence his wife’s pregnant cousin was the Backpacker Murderer’s very first victim more than 50 years ago.
Keren Rowland disappeared, aged 20, on February 27, 1971, while living in Canberra, ACT and her body was found three months later in a nearby pine forest.
Her family have pushed police about the investigation for the past half a century, but they say no answers have been forthcoming.
Hugh, who is married to Keren’s Australian cousin Andrea, has been examining the case and working with Keren’s brother, Steve, to press the ACT Police for a review of the case.
Their findings suggest there were “many strong indications” that Keren was the first murder victim of infamous Ivan Milat.
Milat was convicted of murdering seven backpackers and hiding their bodies in Belanglo State Forest, NSW.
“There are a number of similarities between Milat’s known victims and Keren,” says Hugh.
“Milat was in the area at the time – drove a car similar to descriptions by young women accosted a few days before Keren, and Keren’s body was deposited in a similar way to the backpacker victims.
“If it was him, he was early
“POLICE HAVE STATED THEY CANNOT RULE MILAT IN NOR OUT”
in his predatory career. Police have stated they cannot rule Milat in nor out, as a suspect.”
Keren, a local to the area, was five months pregnant when she vanished.
Hugh has also been in contact with a former NSW police officer, who at the time was involved in the investigations into Milat.
“It has been confirmed, although we’ve asked [ACT] police to confirm, that enquiries in the ’90s found Ivan Milat was working in the area at the time Keren went missing,” says Hugh.
After contacting forensic anthropologist Dr Xanthé Mallett and forensic psychologist Tim Watsonmunro, the trio collaborated on research that led to a four-hour documentary series, Buried Secrets.
The program indicated that Milat could have had up to another 20 victims.
“Policing was different in 1971, both [in Wales] and in Australia. We just want the police to be open about what they know and how they are pursuing the case, 50 years after Keren was killed.
“Keren has not been respected, nor have her family,” adds Hugh.
The former sergeant – who was initially a special constable in Aberystwyth, Wales, before his 30year career in criminal investigation and crime intelligence – continues: “I’ve known about Keren for 30 years, but trusted the police were doing their job properly and had reviewed the case at the time of Milat’s arrest in 1994.
“Operation Air [the police operation to catch Milat] did look at Keren, but never informed the family.
“[Keren’s brother] Steve is like my own brother. About four, five years ago he appealed with me to get help. He didn’t want to think anything had been missed in Keren’s case. Police over there seem to be 20 years behind those here.
“We’ve asked them a series of questions and we’ve had no proper answers at all from them.”
The ACT Police has said it is still appealing for information over Keren’s abduction and death.
Milat died of cancer, aged 74, in Sydney’s Long Bay jail in 2019.
• If you have seen, heard or know anything about the murder of Keren Rowland, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or visit crimestoppers.com.au