In a significant breakthrough in a nearly 50-year-old murder case, DNA evidence has linked a former soldier to the 1979 death of Kerryn Tate in Western Australia. Tate, then 22, went missing on December 29, 1979, after socialising with friends in the Perth suburbs of Cottesloe and Swanbourne. Her body was discovered the next day in dense bushland near Karragullen, approximately 40 kilometres from Perth’s CBD.
Police recovered DNA from the crime scene, believed to belong to the offender, and technological advancements have enabled authorities to match this evidence to Terence John Fisher, who passed away in 2000. Fisher has now been identified as a suspect in Tate’s unsolved murder. At the time of her death, Tate lived in the areas of Rivervale and Manning, and investigators suspect Fisher could have also provided insight into other cold cases, including the murders of Barbara Anne Western in 1986 and Kerry Suzanne Turner in 1991.
Tate’s sister, Annemarie, expressed her relief at the development, stating it has renewed her faith in detectives and the resolution of such cases. She noted that while it does not bring closure, it is comforting to know that Fisher can no longer pose a threat to others. Annemarie conveyed her hope that this revelation might encourage others with information to come forward.
Her brother, Matthew, felt that the identification of Fisher has contributed to a sense of closure for the family, acknowledging the prolonged struggle to find answers in a complicated investigation. Annemarie encouraged anyone with memories or information regarding Fisher or the case to step forward, highlighting the necessity for families affected by such tragedies to gain understanding and insight into their loved ones’ deaths.
This development serves not only as a pivotal moment in the history of Kerryn Tate’s case but also underscores the lasting impact of unresolved crimes on families and communities.