In yet another blow to the family of missing toddler Cheryl Grimmer, the NSW Homicide Squad has dashed any hopes of a second inquest or bringing the unsolved murder case back before the courts.
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But the detectives who headed the major review of the case would push for the reward money for any information leading to an arrest be increased from $100,000 to one million dollars.
The Grimmer family formally asked NSW State Coroner Teresa new inquest, saying the earlier inquest did not call as a witness the man who had confessed in 1971 to snatching and killing her, "because no one supposedly could find him".
Yet the man - who cannot be named because he was 17 years old when he confessed - was found "within hours" by former Wollongong detective Frank Sanvitale and co-investigator Detective Sergeant Damian Loone years later.
Mr Nash wrote to the Coroner who said she would consider a second appeal once she received the findings of a review by the NSW Homicide Squad.
In a letter, obtained by the Mercury, Homicide Squad Commander Scott Cook said a formal major crime review of the investigation had been conducted.
"The panel identified that at this point in time there does not appear to be any further means by which to place the matter back before the criminal courts nor return the matter to the Coroner for further inquest,"Mr Cook said.
"Upon the recommendation of the review panel, the case will be moved from Wollongong Police to the Unsolved Homicide Unit, State Crime Command," he said.
"The exhibits will be moved and stored centrally with all other unsolved homicide exhibits. We will make application to have the existing reward for information increased from one hundred thousand dollars to one million dollars."
Mr Cook said that if the review did not result in fresh lead the case would be placed into the newly established ongoing review process.
"This will ensure that the case is reconsidered every six months against changes in law, technology or fresh information," Mr Cook said.
"If an opportunity to further investigate the case becomes available, it will be pursued."
Mr Nash told the Mercury on Thursday the decision was yet another blow.
"Due to an inadequate investigation by police in 1971 a self-confessed murderer continues to walk free and may never be brought to trial," He said.
Mr Sanvitale said the Homicide Squad's decision was expected. "It's the case no one wants to know about," he said.
