A man accused of murdering a teenager more than two decades ago commented on a NSW Police Facebook post about the investigation one day before his arrest.
Craig Henry Rumsby said it was “so sad” police hadn’t caught the killer of teenager Michelle Bright, who he described as being “like a sister to me”.
On Monday, NSW Police launched a renewed appeal for information into the murder of Ms Bright, who was last seen alive more than 21 years ago.
Ms Bright, 17, was dropped off at Herbert St in Gulgong, near Mudgee in central west NSW in February 1999 after going to a birthday party.
Three days later her body was found in long grass on the roadside at Barneys Reef Rd outside Gulgong.
After NSW Police announced a $1 million reward for information about the killing on Monday, Mr Rumsby, 53, was arrested near Mudgee last night.
Some 24 hours before his arrest, Mr Rumsby commented on a Facebook post about Ms Bright, saying: “It’s so sad that they haven’t caught her killer years Michelle was like a sister to me I feel sorry for the family.”
RELATED: Cold case breakthrough: Man charged with schoolgirl Michelle Bright’s alleged murder
On Wednesday Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty told the media one of the sexual assault charges related to an alleged incident on New Year’s Day in 1998, the year prior to Michelle’s death.
Police are not ruling out whether the accused may have had other victims.
“That’s a possibility,” Supt Doherty said. “We believe there may be other victims out there and as I’ve said in previous appeals if anyone has any information regarding sexual assaults in the Goulburn or Mudgee areas to please come forward.”
Supt Doherty said while no one will handed the reward “at this stage”, after authorities received a “number” of reports relating to Michelle’s death since Monday, they are constantly reviewing evidence.
“There were a large number of reports that did come through … over the last couple of days we have been able to obtain evidence that we will allege in court strongly implicates that this person has been involved,” he said.
“The million dollar reward did give us focus and enhanced the investigation.”
Supt Doherty said the accused suffered heart palpitations after his arrest and had to be medically treated before he was charged.
Michelle’s mother Loraine Bright issued a heartfelt plea to the public on Monday to help find her daughter’s killer after suffering “unbearable pain and heartache” for more than two decades.
She was visibly distressed when she recounted every parent’s worst nightmare.
“That night I sat out in the drizzly rain in the driveway, waiting for her to come home,” she said.
Supt Doherty described the last 21 years as “a long, arduous and difficult time” for the family.
Ms Bright had spent the last two decades in the dark, pleading for people in the small country town of Gulgong to come forward with information.
“Give us the answers we need. It’s the most unbearable pain we have to live with every day of our lives,” she said.
Her mum said Michelle had been her “soulmate” and a “very special girl” who grew up loving animals and had an ambition to become a veterinary nurse.
“She’s never ever coming home and we know that, but we want someone to be responsible for what they’ve done to us as a family and for what they’ve done to Michelle,” she said.
“I have dreamt of the day someone would come forward.
“In my heart I believe she may have known him (alleged killer). If he is watching, or if anyone knows he has done this, please come forward. I’m not getting any younger and I want answers.”
As part of ongoing investigations, detectives were re-examining similar incidents of sexual assault against young women in the Gulgong area around the same time Ms Bright was murdered.
Mr Rumsby lives in Greater Sydney, but Supt Doherty dodged questions about why the alleged killer was almost 300km away in Mudgee – just a 30 minute drive south of Gulgong – on the night of his arrest.
“Police received information that he was attending Mudgee, so when we received that information we stopped him and arrested him,” he said.
“It was a nice touch that he was arrested in Mudgee, because that’s where it all happened.”
Earlier in the week Supt Doherty said Strike Force Mitcham II investigators were looking into the movements of a red XF Falcon wagon.
“We believe this vehicle can be linked to the Gulgong area, and we believe it may be linked to the murder of Michelle,” he said.
Some 21 years on and Supt Doherty hopes the arrest can bring some closure to a family which has suffered immense heartache.
“There are a lot of scars that need healing.”
Police announced the $1 million reward for new information about the killing of Ms Bright, after a 2009 Coronial Inquest recommended the reward be increased to $500,000.
The renewed appeal was a boost from an initial reward offered in 2000 of $100,000.
Mr Rumsby is due in court today.
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2020-08-12 02:51:30Z
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