Dorothy Mulquiney’s agonising search for answers could be a little closer to ending, as police probe new leads into the disappearance of her teenage daughter Megan in 1984.
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“The police got in touch with me about two weeks ago and said they needed to see me about something. To me that was a godsend,” she said.
“I just pray that we can find out what happened to Megan.”
On Thursday morning ACT Policing revealed they were investigating new avenues related to Megan’s disappearance from Woden Plaza on July 28, 1984. She was 17 at the time.
Convicted rapist Paul Vincent Phillips was never charged in relation to Megan’s disappearance, but was identified as the prime suspect during a 2009 inquest that found it extremely likely the teenager was murdered.
Phillips died in April, with police saying a number of people had been in touch with new information since.
Saturday marks 34 years to the day since Megan was last seen but mum Dorothy said the pain of not knowing what happened to her daughter had never left her.
“It has been 34 years and it never goes away,” she said.
“I need answers and I need to know the facts. I need proof.”
Memories of Megan’s disappearance would come flooding back every time Dorothy heard someone else had gone missing.
“When I hear of another person going missing it brings all of those feelings back,” she said.
“It never leaves you. You know what those other parents are going through.
“It will be 34 years on the 28th. That’s a long time.”
The major breakthrough revealed by police on Thursday was that they now believed Phillips had an accomplice.
"We’ve been presented with the unique opportunity, since Paul Vincent Phillips’ passing, to revisit friends, family and associates of his, in the search for answers," Detective Senior Constable Patrick O'Brien said.
"... We now believe that Paul Vincent Phillips did not act alone in his offending."
Senior Constable O'Brien said he believed there were still people out there who knew what had happened, and he implored them to contact police and help bring closure to Ms Mulquiney's family.
"It may be that those people carry a significant burden, whether they know the whereabouts of Megan or the circumstances [surrounding her disappearance]," Senior Constable O'Brien said.
"We implore them to come forward and speak with us, to assist us in gaining closure for the family."
Detective Senior Constable Emma-Lea Beere said Phillips spent the majority of his adult life in prison after being convicted of violent sexual offences against young women.
She said while police had lacked evidence to charge Phillips in relation to Megan's disappearance, she matched the description of his known victims.
"His victims would often appear young, have child-like features, they were petite in build, approximately 5 foot 4 inches tall, and would wear their shoulder-length hair out," Senior Constable Beere said.
"This description matches that of Megan."
Senior Constable Beere said Phillips was nomadic, and had lived in 17 different places during his time in the ACT.
He was also known to prey on young women as they entered open car parks, with one such incident taking place about two months after Megan was last seen.
"The investigation into Megan’s disappearance did not die with Paul Vincent Phillips, and we continue with our search for answers," Senior Constable Beere said.
Police have set up a dedicated hotline for information on the case, and will also be at Woden Plaza about 12pm on Saturday - the 34th anniversary of Megan's disappearance - to talk to anyone with information.
Anyone with information is urged to call 0457 844 917 to speak to the officers investigating the case.
Information can also be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website.
