Bernd and Helga Grunwaldt at Falmouth in 1993, searching for their missing daughter Nancy (inset). Main picture: TONY PALMER
ARGUABLY Tasmania's most infamous missing person case, the disappearance of German backpacker Nancy Grunwaldt 20 years ago continues to baffle police.
And to mark the 20th anniversary of her disappearance on March 13, 1993, Ms Grunwaldt's mother, Helga, and sister will fly from their homes in Germany to meet investigators in Launceston next month.
A coronial inquest held several years ago into the deaths of Ms Grunwaldt and stabbing victim Victoria Cafasso found the 26-year-old travel agent had most likely been the victim of a homicide, committed somewhere between St Helens and Bicheno on the day she was last seen, with her hired bicycle heading out of St Helens.
But retired police detective Bob Coad, who worked on the case at the time, spoke out two years ago, revealing he believed Ms Grunwaldt was killed in a hit-and-run by someone who threw her body into bushland and later made a desperate call to a Hobart lawyer, then Crime Stoppers in Queensland.
Mr Coad said he believed there were several people who knew how, why and where Ms Grunwaldt died and the place where her body was disposed of.
He said he thought these people were in this state and Queensland and he wanted indemnity to be offered to anyone with information.
Mr Coad's revelations led to Launceston detectives making a renewed effort to find the tourist's body, digging up excavation sites at the Bicheno refuse centre twice last year on information from a source not publicly named.
Nothing was found.
Lead investigator Detective Inspector Scott Flude said police would never give up, but he had no concrete information to offer Mrs Grunwaldt and her remaining daughter.
"We've kept in touch with them over the years in Germany and it would mean a lot to us to be able to offer them some closure," Insp Flude said.
"But as it stands we've got no specific evidence of what's happened, as to whether her death was by misadventure or an accident, or whether it's still a missing persons case.
"There are a lot of rumours out there and the work we've done last year has generated a lot of information, but at this stage it remains a mystery."
He does not believe the death was linked to that of Beaumaris Beach murder victim Ms Cafasso, of Italy, but admits that Tasmania's bushy terrain makes it close to impossible to locate any remains left above ground for many years.
"We're 48 per cent bushland, so to hide a body or piece of evidence is easier in this state, and the chances of finding remains can be low," Insp Flude said.
"If she was buried we'd have a chance, but if she was left above ground it would be incredibly difficult."
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