Cold case search turns to mine shafts for abducted, bashed SA teen

Police have today returned to remote Coober Pedy in the South Australian outback in a new effort to find the body of a 16-year-old teenager who went missing in 24 years ago.

The search resumed for the remains of Karen Williams, whose body is believed to have been dumped there in 1990.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray said two witnesses had come forward with new information since a previous outback search was made.

The witnesses have accurately pinpointed two locations about 1km from the town centre that are likely to be where the teenager was dumped after being abducted, bashed and thrown down a mineshaft.

SA police have also obtained new aerial photography of the remote outback area, that was taken at the time the teenager disappeared.

“The photographs have we were previously unaware of and that has been of considerable assistance in comparing the site between when Karen Williams was abducted, compared with the landscape today.” Supt Des Bray said in a media conference.

This fresh information has prompted them to return to Coober Pedy to start a new investigation and redefine the search zone. 

“We still believe the most likely place to find Karen is within a 150m radius of the junction of Maloitis (Boulevard) and Flat Hill Road at Coober Pedy, just on the outskirts of Coober Pedy,” Supt. Bray said.

“As a result, we have committed to return to the area and do everything we possibly can to find Karen,’’ he said.

Local police along with Major Crime detectives, an SES Mines and Rescue team and local council staff have today begun excavating two further sites that contain multiple mine shafts.

The new search, follows two unsuccessful searches for her remains last year and earlier this year, including the use of ground penetrating radar and experts from interstate.

In November last year Police arrested a 42-year-old man Nikola Novakovich in Mt Gambier and charged him with the murder of the teenager.

Karen was last seen alive between 5am and 6am on August 4, 1990.

Police have offered $200,000 to anyone who can lead them to the discovery of her remains.