Five who vanished from Mid West among the thousands of people who are still missing

Last year more than 51,000 missing person reports were made to police in Australia.

Most come home to their loved ones, but some families are left wondering where they are for decades.

This week, Australian Federal Police is drawing attention to the thousands of people whose whereabouts remain a mystery. The Midwest Times hopes sharing the stories and photos of those who were last seen in the Mid West region can help a family find peace. Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make anonline report if you know something.

SALLY GREENHAM

Last seen

August 21, 1987

The 28-year-old clerical assistant from Bootenal near Greenough failed to attend a meeting at Stella Maris College on August 21, 1987. Mrs Greenham’s husband answered a telephone call later that evening from the college and advised the caller that Ms Greenham had left him that day. Police did not start making enquiries into Mrs Greenham’s disappearance until August 1992. They became highly suspicious of Mr Greenham and started searching his 4ha property, looking for his wife’s remains. While the search was under way Jeffery Greenham took his life in his car. He left no note. The matter is still an open investigation.

WILLIAM FRENCH

Last seen

December 17, 1997

The 24-year-old backpacker from Perth was last seen getting a food voucher from a welfare agency in Carnarvon on December 17, 1997. That same day, he made a call to his girlfriend saying he was travelling around Australia with a man named Marco. He was reported missing by his family in February, 1998, with the investigation upgraded to a suspected homicide in December that year. An inquest in 2014 found Mr French died sometime between December 17, 1997 and November 10, 1998, but cause of death could not be established.

JAKE BEARUP

Last seen

January 11, 2010

Police suspended their search for the marine mechanic three days after he went missing in the ocean off Exmouth. An upturned dinghy belonging to his employer was found floating about 2km offshore and about 10km north of the sheltered marina where Mr Bearup worked. An inquest in 2013 found Mr Bearup died between 9pm on January 10 and midday on January 13, 2010 in the Indian Ocean off Exmouth.

SIMON HARRINGTON

Last seen

January 10, 2011

Despite being featured in last year’s National Missing Persons Week campaign, no further information about what happened to Mr Harrington has been obtained. The 34-year-old had just started his dream job and was last seen in Coogee about 10.30am on January 10, 2011. An ATM transaction was made from his bank account later that same day in Geraldton. In late March, 2011, his vehicle was found abandoned on Butchers Track off the North West Coastal Highway, about 100km north of Kalbarri. He was last seen wearing beige shorts, a beige and green striped polo shirt and a beige baseball cap.

GARY LYDDIETH

Last seen

May 3, 2014

Alarm bells rang for Mr Lyddieth’s close friend when the 54-year-old Melbourne father failed to arrive at Carnarvon Airport on May 6, 2014 to start their planned surfing holiday. Mr Lyddieth was last seen in Meekatharra on the May 3, 2014 when he obtained directions to Gascoyne Junction from police. His van was located damaged in August 2014 near Mt Gascoyne. An inquest into the disappearance in 2018 found Mr Lyddieth died sometime between May 3 and August 1, 2014, but the cause of death remains unknown.