Police examine a car at the murder scene in April 1982 and inset, Elizabeth “Betty” Dixon. Main pic: Allan Jolly.
THERE has been a sensational breakthrough in one of the Hunter’s most enduring murder mysteries, with the arrest on Wednesday of a man over the vicious slaying of Elizabeth Dixon.
Central Hunter detectives arrested the 64-year-old man after a public tip-off prompted the reopening of the cold case many predicted would never be solved.
Ms Dixon, known as Betty to her friends, was found brutally stabbed to death, her body left in her Mazda, in bushland at Ashtonfield on April 6, 1982.
She had been last seen leaving the Hit-N-Dip Squash Centre at Green Hills three days earlier before making a quick visit to the nearby shops and possibly heading home to change.
A jogger made the discovery, telling investigators that he had seen the car during a run but decided to have a closer look when he passed it again about 5.45pm the following afternoon.
Det Sgt Frank Tracey in 1982 with a knife similar to one missing from Ms Dixon’s flat and her car key wallet, which is similar to a wallet which was missing.
A murder investigation was immediately launched into the popular 31-year-old’s death and would continue through to Wednesday’s arrest.
Two years ago, a reward for information was increased from $50,000 to $150,000 although it is understood the public tip-off was given to detectives recently.
Betty Dixon flew from Northern Ireland in 1979 for a year in Australia and fell in love with the place.
Before long, she decided it was her new home.
A squash fanatic, she had done some casual work at the Hit-n-Dip Squash Centre, worked as a secretary at Cobden Jones Mining in Kurri Kurri and lived alone in a flat in Tennyson Street, Metford.
And it is that little life of Betty Dixon which police have always thought would reveal her killer.
The suspect was arrested without incident at his home at Stockton and taken to Maitland police station for questioning.
He is expected to be charged with murder and refused bail to appear in Raymond Terrace Local Court.
source:theherald.com.au
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