11/09/2023
Unsolved Homicide – Geelong, Victoria Australia
‼️Please note: This post mentions the murder of a child which may be confronting and distressing to some readers.‼️
Clare Morrison
On December 18th, 1992, 13-year-old Clare Morrison was hanging out with friends at the Geelong Mall. Clare had told her friends that she was going to catch a bus back home to get someone money to purchase Christmas gifts.
Two witnesses saw her walking down Little Malop Street in the direction of Mooraball Street, apparently under the influence of alcohol. She was supposed to meet a friend at a nearby McDonald's.
Early the next morning, Clare’s body was found washed up on Bells Beach by a surfer. Her body was semi-clothed and she suffered head and neck injuries. A coroner ruled her death as foul play. However, Clare was mauled by sharks making identifying an exact cause of death impossible.
Early on in the investigations, a then 18 year old, male friend of Clare’s informed the police that she was last seen entering a blue commodore with two men. Victorian police spent months working on blue commodore tip, but the valuable time they put into investigating this lead was for nothing as the man later admitted to lying about seeing the car and about seeing Clare entering one. This resulted in the man being jailed for perjury. In 2017, news program A Current Affair tracked down the man. When asked by the report, why he made the false report he replied: “I dunno, I was just trying to get out of the sh*t.” He has always denied any involvement in the death of Clare, when asked by the A Current Affair reporter if he murdered Clare he snapped back. “No, definitely not. Hell no.”
This so called friend remains a suspect in Clare’s murder.
In December 2017, Morrison's brother Andrew, in an interview with Geelong Advertiser, said, "I've only just been made aware that on the night they (Clare and friends) were all hanging around town, about eight of them, before they've nicked off in one car and all went to Point Addis. That's where they were all meeting, at the cliff that overlooks Bell Beach. Clare didn't leave with them though. It was dark and, at this time of year with daylight savings, they must've been there past 9pm or 10pm." He added, "My sister was found early in the morning and she must have been in the water a long time for her to be attacked by sharks if that's true, so I'm thinking they've just missed seeing her, it's a very small window. One of these people, they could be the one who breaks the case right open.”
Clare was described as a bubbly and popular child, in lead up to her death she was, like most kids her age going through a rebellious stage. Smoking ci******es and hanging out late with friends.
In the 1990’s, the Victoria State Police offered a $50,000 reward for information that could solve Clare’s murder. As of 2020, this reward still stands. However, I can not locate Clare on the Victorian State Police “Rewards” webpage to confirm if this award is still on offer.
There is a page dedicated to Clare, please use the link to like, follow and share their page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080466348363&mibextid=9R9pXO
This year will mark 31 years since Clare was murdered, her mother died without ever seeing justice for her little girl.
If you have any information regarding the murder of Clare Morrison, please call Crime Stoppers on: 1800 333 000.