Vic: Help wanted catch transport boss sniper

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2010
Vic: Help wanted catch transport boss sniper

MELBOURNE, April 15 AAP - Someone in Bendigo knows something about the sniper murder
of local transport boss Kevin Pearce, his family and police have said launching an appeal
for public help to catch his killer.

The Bendigo father of three was shot with a bullet from a .308 hunting rifle 25 years
ago, on April 15 1985 at 11.45pm, while talking to another man at McPhees Transport Depot
in Bendigo.

Mr Pearce, 44, operated a freight distribution business.

A coronial inquest found that a former business partner of Mr Pearce, who became a
rival, was involved in the murder but no-one has ever been tried.

The investigation was re-opened in 2006 after DNA was discovered on cigarette butts
found 50 metres from where Mr Pearce was felled. But no charges resulted.

Detectives think the cigarette butts may have belonged to a smoking sniper, positioned
that night with a line of sight to the depot on Bellevue Road, in Bendigo's Golden Square.

The Pearce family and police on Thursday said someone in the Bendigo area knows something
about the killing and their information could help bring the shooter to justice.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

AAP gr/jxt/pc

KEYWORD: PEARCE

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