Gerard Ross: Detectives hope cutting edge forensic techniques will help them solve 1997 murder

Detectives hope “cutting edge forensic techniques” and assistance from world renowned and WA based scientists will eventually help them solve the “senseless” 1997 abduction and murder of Gerard Ross. Monday, October 14 will mark 27 years to the day Gerard was taken from a Rockingham street before being murdered. In what has become one of the State’s most enduring and heartbreaking crimes, Gerard, an 11-year-old schoolboy from Newman, vanished while on a family holiday in Rockingham on October 14, 1997. His body was found a fortnight later in a Karnup pine plantation. Despite a massive investigation at the time, several cold case reviews and a $1 million reward for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of Gerard’s killer, the case still remains unsolved. In a statement given to The Sunday Times to mark the anniversary of his tragic murder, WA Police said Gerard’s “horrific” killing still remained a major priority for them 27 years later. Detective Superintendent Rohan Ingles, who oversees the cold case squad tasked with solving Gerard’s murder, said advancements in forensic technology remained key to cracking the case. “The investigation into the senseless murder of Gerard Ross remains a priority for the WA Police Force,” Det. Supt Ingles said. “Detectives and forensic officers from cold case investigations remain determined to solve this horrific crime and are actively working with experts at PathWest and across the world to utilise cutting edge forensic techniques to progress the investigation.” Det. Supt Ingles said it was never too late for people to come forward with new information. “The 14th of October marks the 27th anniversary since Gerard vanished off the streets of Rockingham,” the senior officer said. “This crime horrified the Western Australian community, and police believe there is someone out there who knows what happened to Gerard, and who was responsible for his death. “I would like to remind the community there is a $1 million dollar reward available for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Gerard’s murder.” Gerard’s homicide is arguably one of WA’s highest profile unsolved murder cases. The 11-year-old went missing just after 9.30am on a Tuesday morning as he and his brother left their holiday accommodation on Kent Street. Gerard’s brother, who was on roller blades, went ahead of him having agreed to meet Gerard at a local comic store. Gerard was last seen walking along Kent Street several houses away from where he was staying. On Tuesday, October 28, 1997, his body was found in the Karnup Pine Plantation, off Stakehill Road in Baldivis. In 2019, The West Australian released an eight-part investigative documentary The Boy in the Blue Cap: The Gerard Ross Story, which is now available on The Nightly. In an exclusive interview for the documentary, former Kent Street resident Rose Jurek said she saw a boy whom she believed to be Gerard being pushed into a car along Kent Street on the morning he vanished. “I definitely do think that those men were the men that took Gerard away,” she said. Following the documentary’s release, then Det. Supt Rod Wilde - who oversaw a massive re-investigation into Gerard’s murder several years ago - said his officers were chasing up several new leads after a flurry of calls were made to Crime Stoppers. “Certainly there is information that’s been passed on to us relating to individuals,” Det. Supt Wilde said at the time. “We’ve been receiving information relating to people who we will now be conducting further inquiries and investigations into. “Some of it relates to information we were already aware of, so that’s now being checked to see if it is of any value.” In 2021, several suspects in the case had their homes raided and DNA taken during dawn raids after police announced a new review of the case, codenamed Operation Footlight. A missing navy blue baseball cap with “Yankees” across the front in white large lettering, which Gerard was wearing at the time of his abduction, is still an item of interest to investigators because it has never been found. Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000