Arabic version: مراجعة الطبيب الشرعي لفشل الشرطة في قضية فيرونيكا غرين الباردة
The Coroner’s Court of Victoria has heard of multiple failures in the police investigation surrounding the 1976 disappearance of Veronica Green. More than 50 years after she was last seen, investigators now believe it is likely she was killed, possibly by her abusive husband, Bill Green, who died in 2006 without ever being questioned by police.
According to ABC News, Detective Sergeant Allan Wood, who has been involved in the case for nearly two decades, described the initial investigation as “deficient.” Following Ms. Green’s disappearance, police failed to interview her husband or conduct a search of their home in Ardeer, west of Melbourne. Sergeant Wood noted that this oversight would be considered a major mistake by today’s standards.
The court heard that Veronica Green had confronted her husband about his alleged sexual abuse of girls at a local athletics club, which could have provided motive for foul play. However, the evidence was insufficient to hold Mr. Green legally accountable. Despite the police’s current belief that Ms. Green was likely killed, her daughter, Penny, remains hopeful that her mother left voluntarily and is still alive, stating, “For 50 years I honestly believed she left of her own accord.”
In 2020, a renewed search of Ms. Green’s property yielded no new evidence, and extensive checks for proof of life have not indicated she survived past February 1976. Victoria Police Inspector Anthony Combridge acknowledged the shortcomings of the original investigation, noting that if a similar case occurred today, it would involve a much more robust response, including thorough searches and interviews.
The family of Veronica Green has expressed frustration over the decades-long wait for answers. Penny has voiced her disappointment regarding the police’s failure to follow up on reported sightings of her mother. Coroner Ingrid Giles stated that Ms. Green’s family has been “let down” by the system, with findings to be delivered at a later date.
