Unsolved murder inquest delayed but criminal charges possible
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A new inquest into the murder of a woman killed in Melbourne decades ago has been delayed, but police still believe criminal action is possible.
Maria James was stabbed 68 times in her Thornbury bookstore in 1980, her slaying leaving behind her two sons Mark and Adam.
The murder was never solved, and the findings of a 1982 inquest - that Maria James was murdered by an unknown person - has been set aside.
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Maria James with her sons Mark and Adam before her tragic death. Nine
Mark James says the delays are frustrating and upsetting.
"The too hard basket ... I just can't see why these delays are justified," he said.
Adam James wants justice for his mother.
"Somebody is playing games ... I think enough is enough," he said.
"We need to get justice for this."
The Thornbury bookshop Maria owned and was stabbed to death in. Nine
Today, Victoria Police was granted another extension to establish the killer's identity, blaming the COVID-19 lockdown for the delays in their current investigation.
The day Ms James was killed she was planning to confront local priest Father Anthony Bongiorno about allegations he had sexually abused her youngest son Adam, who has cerebral palsy and Tourettes's syndrome.
Bongiorno and another paedophile priest, Thomas O'Keefe, were not interviewed by detectives at the time. Both men have since died.
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Mark and Adam James want justice for their mother's murder. Nine
There was also a DNA bungle - a bloodied pillowcase from a different crime scene led to all suspects being mistakenly exonerated.
Police say it's possible that their current investigation may lead to criminal proceedings, and they want to retest forensic evidence and interview new potential witnesses before handing over their case to the Coroner.
Detectives have been given a new deadline of March 1.
Police believe they can still Nine
The family's lawyer, Naty Guerrero-Diaz, said the stall was disappointing.
"It's really disappointing the delays ... because as witnesses die and memories fade ... you can never really know what evidence has been lost to time," she said.
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