2LT Local News

Police excavating home of missing Katoomba teenager

Dec 3, 2018

KATOOMBA, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia – The forensic excavation of the Katoomba home of 19-year old Belinda Peisley, which began on Monday, is expected to take three days.

Belinda has been missing for twenty years. She was last seen in the Katoomba area on Saturday 26 September 1998.

Despite extensive investigations and numerous ground searches by local police and the Homicide Squad over the years, Belinda has not been located.

Investigators identified numerous persons of interest and explored various lines of inquiry, which were tested during a Coronial Inquiry.

In 2013, the NSW Coroner found that Belinda had died around the time of her disappearance but returned an open finding on the cause and manner of her death.

Detectives from the Homicide Squad continue to investigate Belinda’s disappearance and suspected murder under Strike Force Belonidae.

As part of their ongoing investigation, strike force detectives commenced a forensic excavation and search at Belinda’s former home Monday.

The forensic excavation is led by forensic investigators from Crime Scene Services Branch, with the assistance of Blue Mountains Police Rescue, the Public Order and Riot Squad, and Blue Mountains Police Area Command.

“As with all homicide squad cases we continually review the information we have and we believed that it was opportunistic for us to conduct the forensic test today,” NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Grant Taylor told reporters at the scene on Monday. 

The detective chief inspector said they were hopeful of finding Belinda Peisley’s remains.

It is expected the excavation will be completed by Wednesday.