DESCRIPTION:
- 38 years of age.
- Light skinned.
- 153cm (5 feet) tall.
- Dark curly shoulder length hair.
- Last seen wearing a blue tracksuit, an orange parka and brown Ugg boots. She was carrying a shoulder bag and a red coloured umbrella.
QUICK KEY FACTS:
- Mother of two adult children.
- Attended the Balmoral Hotel on Albany Highway, East Victoria Park and nearby ‘Irene’s Park Tavern’ (now Franklins Sports Bar and Bistro) between 8.00pm and 11.30pm on Friday 27 June 1986.
- Last seen Irene’s Park Tavern (now Franklins Sports Bar and Bistro) around 11.30pm on Friday 27 June 1986.
- Was wearing a distinctive orange parka when she went missing.
- Located deceased in Karragullen on 14 March 1991.
BACKGROUND:
Barbara Anne Western was born in Perth, Western Australia on 30 May 1948. Ms Western married in 1967 and subsequently had two children. She separated from her husband in 1972 and raised her two children alone.
Ms Western was described as a good mother, very social and had a number of friends.
During 1982, Ms Western met her partner and in 1983 formed a de-facto relationship, living together in St. James.
CASE DETAILS:
Between 6:00 and 7:00pm on Friday 27 June 1986, Ms Western departed her home attending the Balmoral Hotel on Albany Highway, East Victoria Park. Two people, who knew her personally, saw her that night at about 8.00pm, later that evening she was seen by another acquaintance, at nearby ‘Irene’s Park Tavern’ (now Franklins Sports Bar and Bistro) between 8.00pm and 11.30pm.
At about 11.30pm on Friday 27 June 1986, Ms Western was last seen leaving Irene’s Park Tavern. She did not return home that evening and was reported missing.
On Thursday 14 March 1991, two people collecting wood at a track marked ‘Sand Track’ in the vicinity of Canning Dam, Karragullen, found what appeared to be human bones in a small clearing approximately 15 metres off a secondary track.
During a search of the area, a number of personal items belonging to Ms Western were located under a nearby fallen tree trunk. These included items of clothing, sundry items and jewellery.
IDENTIFICATION:
Inquiries revealed that the bones and items were those of Ms Western.
The person or persons responsible for Ms Western’s death have not yet been identified.
If you have any information about the death of Barbara Anne Western or her movements on the evening of Friday 27 June 1986, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make an online report below. Please remember that you can remain anonymous if you wish and rewards are offered.
