The Standard digs into its archives to uncover some of the leads detectives chased in the months after the death of 35-year-old Allison Sealey in August 2003. The Victoria Police homicide squad says the 21-year-old cold case can still be solved.
Voiced by Monique Patterson and Jessica Howard
Produced by Sophia Baker
Voiced by Monique Patterson and Jessica Howard
Produced by Sophia Baker
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00:00A blue X4 sedan, the sound of wood chopping, and the presence of an unknown woman in the
00:07early hours of the morning were some of the leads homicide detectives chased after a 35-year-old
00:13woman was murdered in Warrnambool in 2003.
00:17Alison Seeley, a magnetic friend and mother, was found dead in her bed in her Wanstead
00:23Street flat on August 1 that year.
00:26And while more than 20 years have passed, her killer has never been found.
00:31The Standard has been digging into its archives in the hope of finding answers for Alison's
00:36family.
00:39A police image of the blue sedan was released in late September 2003, about two months after
00:45Alison's death.
00:47Former homicide squad detective Ron Iddles, who caught killers for 25 years, told the
00:53Standard at the time the car may have been spotted near the Wanstead Street flats on
00:57the night of Alison's death.
01:00The detective had urged for information from anyone who saw the Ford between 10pm on July
01:0531 and 10am the following morning.
01:09It was one of a number of leads the investigating detectives chased over the following 12 months,
01:14and in September 2004 they believed the jigsaw was complete.
01:19Alison's nephew, Michael Molseed, then 22, was arrested and charged with her murder,
01:25but that was later dropped and the man walked free.
01:32In 2006, three years after Alison's death, five homicide detectives and three Warrnambool
01:38detectives converged on the East Warrnambool area.
01:42Officers asked residents if they remembered hearing wood chopping on the night of the
01:45murder, or if they knew of a woman leaving nearby Ryan Court in the early hours of August
01:511, 2003.
01:54They also wanted to know if any of Alison's neighbours had moved away for a period of
01:58time shortly after her death.
02:01Police also believed a Warrnambool woman had information or a connection to the offender
02:05and may have held the secrets needed to solve the case.
02:09Her identity remains unknown to this day.
02:13It's been more than 20 years since Alison died, but the police case remains open.
02:19We spoke to Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Scarlett of the Victoria Police Homicide Squad,
02:24who still has faith that the killer will be found.
02:28Even after 20 years, we know that this case is solvable.
02:32It may be that one small snippet of information that the public has that can help bring some
02:37resolution to Alison's loved ones.
02:40Alison was well-liked by those who knew her, and her murder had a significant and devastating
02:45impact on her family and friends.
02:47There will be people out there who know what happened to Alison, and we continue to encourage
02:52them to come forward.
02:55Police announced a $100,000 reward for information in relation to Alison's death in 2010.
03:02It still remains on offer to this day.
03:05Detective Senior Sergeant Scarlett said information from the public remained vital in a case like
03:10Alison's, and was often what leads to a breakthrough.
03:15If there is someone out there who knows something, it could even be something they have heard
03:19in the local area over the years, then now is the time to come forward.
03:24All cold cases are periodically reviewed in the hope fresh eyes can lead to new avenues
03:30of inquiry.
03:35That was Answers for Alison.
03:44Make sure you're subscribed to the Vulnerable Standard to keep up to date with the investigation.
03:50The Standard is available online or through our newsletters and app.
03:55If you have information about the case, please email answersforalison at gmail.com.
04:01That's Alison with two L's, A-L-L-I-S-O-N.
04:08Thank you again for listening, and we'll see you in the next episode.