UPDATE: Man Arrested in Michelle Bright Cold Case
Over a year ago we covered the Michelle Bright murder as our first newsletter, today, stunning new developments
An Arrest is Made
On Monday 10th August, NSW police increased the reward from $500K to $1M AUD, today Craig Rumbsy arrested and charged with her murder.
Alleged murderer Craig Henry Rumbsy. Photo: Facebook
It has been over 21 years with friends & family searching for justice in the murder of Michelle Bright. This case has troubled me for some time and even more so since I covered it. It bothered me that there wasn’t the coverage I felt it deserved. I was, in fact, planning a podcast to cover the case in more depth and help bring eyes to it until COVID-19 hit and I was unable to travel to the area. I am hopeful the police have the right man and that justice will finally be served for Michelle’s family. For a more in-depth look at the case before Rumbsy’s arrest - please read my original report.
As always, please see our ‘evidence board’ for a collection of information, links and names of all references as well as the evidence known, theories and images (has not been updated since the arrest).
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The Renewed Appeal
After a period of seeming quiet, on Monday 10th August a renewed appeal was made by the Bright family for information leading to the apprehension of Michelle’s killer. The NSW police announced they would increase the reward from $500,000 AUD to $1M AUD - in line with the biggest unsolved cases in the country. The $500,000 reward had been in place since the coroner recommended it in 2009.
The Bright family make a renewed appeal. Photo: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone
Michelle’s mother Loraine pleaded with the public on Monday to help find her daughter’s killer after suffering “unbearable pain and heartache” for more than two decades.
She added that Michelle had been her “soulmate” and a “very special girl” who grew up loving animals and had an ambition to become a veterinary nurse.
NB: It is not widely reported but Michelle has been reported to be of aboriginal origins (source: ABC) - I feel this is important to note because, although it is fantastic that these recent developments have unfolded, if the fact that Michelle is not a middle-class Caucasian girl contributed to us not hearing a lot more about her unsolved murder over the years, it’s an incredibly sad reality of our mainstream media. I hope I am wrong.
Brief timeline
5.30 pm, Friday 26 Feb, 1999: Michelle is dropped off by her mother Loraine to go to a party. Michelle told her mum she planned to stay at her best friend, Lauren’s house. Loraine goes to work at the local RSL (a community pub).
Evening, Friday 26 Feb, 1999: Michelle attends the 15th birthday party of a local friend. According to reports by a counsel assisting the coroner, Peter Hamill SC - many of those who were with and saw Michelle in her final hours at the party had been drinking & smoking cannabis. Little has been publicly stated about events at the party and no known altercations have been revealed by investigators.
Around 12:45 am, Saturday 27 Feb, 1999: Michelle is reportedly dropped off by a couple in front of the Commercial Hotel, a pub, on the corner of Mayne and Herbert Streets in Gulgong, this is the last sighting of her alive. Whether she chose not to stay at her friend’s house for a particular reason is not known or has never been revealed. It’s assumed that after being dropped off she went to Lauren’s around the corner and found no one home/answering. She begins to walk, apparently in the direction of home.
Lunchtime, Saturday 27 Feb, 1999: Michelle has not returned home, Loraine begins to worry and starts to ring around friends. The family spends the drizzly summer night searching & waiting for Michelle.
Sunday, 28 Feb, 1999: The police are notified. Immediately, they treat the case as a potential runaway despite the family explaining this was very unlikely.
Around 3.30 pm, Tuesday 2nd March, 1999: Michelle’s body is found by a man walking his dog around 1 km from her home. She had been dumped face down in long grass off Barney’s Reef Rd (a main road) between the road and the railway line. Her handbag is found nearby. She was half-naked and her bra had been both cut and torn from her body, she had been sexually assaulted.
2000: A reward of $100,000 AUD is offered to encourage people to come forward with evidence that leads to a conviction.
April, 2001: Loraine appeals to police commissioner Peter Ryan to conduct DNA tests of every male in Gulgong.
Sep, 2002: Police from Strike Force Mitcham, investigating the murder, travel to the U.K. Detective Sergeant Cameron Whiteside of Mudgee Police, took "samples"with him to be tested using the most advanced techniques possible.
6 March, 2009:Dozens of family & friends wearing gold ribbons in memoriam attend a coronial inquest, five men, including a former boyfriend, are named as persons of interest. Some evidence is publicly revealed for the first time. The reward is increased, at the recommendation of the coroner, to $500,000.
10 August, 2020: A renewed appeal is made by the Bright family. The NSW police issue an increased $1M AUD reward
11 August 2020: At approximately 9.30pm Strike Force Mitcham II detectives arrested a 53-year-old, Craig Henry Rumbsy near Mudgee (a town about 20 mins from Gulgong).
12 August 2020: Media is alerted to the arrest.
The Suspect
As reported in my original coverage family & friends have always strongly believed the murderer is someone local, more troubling, if the suspect is in fact the perpetrator, he at one time lived only two doors away from Michelle. Other facts and alleged facts I have been able to uncover about the suspect.
He has a limited social media presence but it appears his Facebook profile is either relatively fresh (mid-July 2020) or recently reinstated. He has only 3 friends on the platform. He allegedly posted the following just a day before his arrest.
An alleged post by Craig Rumbsy just a day before his arrest. Photo: Facebook
When questioned by local news upon his arrest Rumbsy responded to the question of whether he murdered Michelle with: “No…I’ve known her mum for ages.” Loraine stated to Ben Fordham (a radio journalist) that when the family moved to Gulgong he lived about two doors down from the Bright family. It is unclear if this was at the time of the murder.
He was never very far from the crime scene - currently residing in Wilberforce (according to his FB) just over 3 hours from Gulgong. He grew up mainly in Mudgee - 20 minutes from Gulgong.
According to Loraine, Craig has children and they attended school with Michelle.
He is currently single according to his alleged Facebook profile.
Rumbsy is, according to multiple sources a former abattoir worker. If it is proven he is guilty, this lends itself to the cutting removal of Michelle’s clothing.
Rumbsy needed medical care for heart palpitations at the shock of his arrest.
It appears that Rumbsy may have been tested for DNA in relation to the crime in the past, he may well be the “unknown local man” in our suspect board. Meaning, the advancement of technology might be the reason we are getting this arrest. Time will tell.
It’s worth noting that while Rumbsy has been arrested and charged this does not make the presumption of guilt and there is still a long and arduous process for justice whether or not he is the murderer.
Rumbsy has also been charged with an alleged historic choking and attempted sexual assault of an 18-year-old girl in January 1998.
Arrest of Craig Rumbsy. Photo: NSW Police
Remaining Questions
Did the increased reward prompt someone who has been keeping a secret for a long time to come forward?
Was Rumbsy’s DNA one of the men tested? If so was he one of the 3 “known” men of interest in the case?
What further evidence is there to emerge?
Who did Rumbsy live with at the time of the crime? Where did he live?
How many more victims are there?
If you have any information or evidence that may assist in the prosecution of Michelle’s killer/killers please contact Crime Stoppers +61800 333 000 or Mudgee Police Station on +612 6372 8599.
I have realised that not everyone has been getting my newsletters. From now on everyone will get all newsletters for free.
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