Extraordinary cold case breakthrough as bones are linked to high-profile crime – amid revelation Sydney area may be a ‘dumping ground for bodies’
Human remains found in sand dunes near a Sydney beach have been identified as those of a butcher who disappeared under suspicious circumstances more than 30 years ago.
Paul Norton was last seen on April 9, 1989, after spending the day with his sons at Leichhardt Oval watching the Balmain Tigers play the Parramatta Eels.
The 31-year-old was reported missing by his girlfriend on April 14.
Mr Norton's car – a blue 1981 Commodore sedan – was found weeks later on May 2 at a Hertz car rental agency in Sydney Airport's domestic terminal.
It had long been rumored that the Kurnell Sand Dunes area was a dumping ground for bodies
A 1996 inquest found that Norton's death was most likely the result of murder, motivated by his involvement in the drug trade.
Paul Norton's remains were found in the area in October 2007 and have not been identified for more than a decade
Human remains found in Kurnell south of Sydney in October 2007 were formally identified in 2019 as belonging to Mr Norton.
The area has long been rumored to be a dumping ground for bodies after underworld murders in the 1970s and 1980s.
Researchers used DNA technology, including familial samples, to identify the remains.
Detectives are appealing for anyone with information about Mr Norton or his death to contact police.
“Initial observations by strike force detectives have linked the suspicious disappearance and probable murder of Mr Norton to a series of underworld murders in Sydney in the 1980s,” NSW Police said in a statement on Monday.
Paul Norton's sister, Margaret Brown, hopes the appeal can provide answers about what happened to her brother.
Remains found in Kurnell, south Sydney, in October 2007 were identified as Mr Norton's body in 2019
“Paul and I were one of six children, and with only four left, we are eager to find answers about what happened,” she said.
'Even though it goes back years, we would ask anyone with information to contact police.'
Mr Norton was described as a white individual with freckled skin, approximately 165cm tall, of a thin build and brown hair.