Aug 23, 2026 · 28 min · 14 segments
More than four decades after DeS disappeared without a trace, his family finally receives the news they have been waiting for: his case is being prepared for the coroner. As police revisit the…
Jay WalkdenHostMichelleGuestJude SeverightGuestJoyGuestJay's MotherGuest
I'm worried for her as she's gonna get a letter from the coroner with a finding about her only brother's disappearance.
It feels kind of impersonal and a little bit harsh to send a letter as opposed to a phone call or a meeting, but I'm guessing it's just a process.
I know this because my cousin Michelle actually emailed me a letter that was sent to the family on October 4, 1979, after they inquired about a possible sighting.
"Dear Madam, in reply to your letter dated twenty-fifth of September 1979 concerning information about your brother, Desmond Carr, I wish to advise that unfortunately we are unable to forward official departmental documents.
However, the following information may be of some assistance to your inquiry.
A Telex message was received from Broome Police on the twenty-first of September 1979, stating that a person who might be Desmond Carr was believed to be sighted at One Arm Point, an Aboriginal settlement 200 kilometers north of Broome.
However, subsequent inquiries by Broome police who have visited the settlement found the report to be incorrect, and the persons residing there stated-
As I said earlier, it's kind of impersonal, but with over 2,000 long-term missing persons and only a handful of missing persons specialists in WA, I guess it is just a process.
Will it have a finding on the body that was found in Newman and once and for all eliminate that as a possible connection to Des? Will it confirm Peter's sighting of Des the weekend after he was reported missing, or will this also not be part of the coroner's report? And also, what do the police think happened to my uncle? This is not the only coronial inquest on my mind.
I'm worried for her as she's gonna get a letter from the coroner with a finding about her only brother's disappearance.
It feels kind of impersonal and a little bit harsh to send a letter as opposed to a phone call or a meeting, but I'm guessing it's just a process.
I know this because my cousin Michelle actually emailed me a letter that was sent to the family on October 4, 1979, after they inquired about a possible sighting.
"Dear Madam, in reply to your letter dated twenty-fifth of September 1979 concerning information about your brother, Desmond Carr, I wish to advise that unfortunately we are unable to forward official departmental documents.
However, the following information may be of some assistance to your inquiry.
A Telex message was received from Broome Police on the twenty-first of September 1979, stating that a person who might be Desmond Carr was believed to be sighted at One Arm Point, an Aboriginal settlement 200 kilometers north of Broome.
However, subsequent inquiries by Broome police who have visited the settlement found the report to be incorrect, and the persons residing there stated-
As I said earlier, it's kind of impersonal, but with over 2,000 long-term missing persons and only a handful of missing persons specialists in WA, I guess it is just a process.
Will it have a finding on the body that was found in Newman and once and for all eliminate that as a possible connection to Des? Will it confirm Peter's sighting of Des the weekend after he was reported missing, or will this also not be part of the coroner's report? And also, what do the police think happened to my uncle? This is not the only coronial inquest on my mind.
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