Latest news with #RachelleChilds
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- News.com.au
Chief suspect in Rachelle Childs' case was once arrested allegedly mid-rape of another woman
A police officer has revealed how he arrested the chief suspect in Rachelle Childs' murder for a separate offence – with his 'pants down', allegedly mid-rape. Wayne Neilson told the Dear Rachelle investigation he is still shocked by Kevin Steven Correll telling him the alleged victim 'deserved it', as she was a 'moll'. Mr Correll went on to beat the charge. It is one of four sexual assaults he was accused and acquitted of in the 80s – but the incident has stayed with Mr Neilson as it was rare to have 'arrested them basically in the act.' The retired NSW police officer was on night shift patrol in Liverpool, south-west Sydney, in May 1983 when he heard 'very loud screaming' coming from a parked car. He and his patrol colleague jumped out of their car and were confronted by a young woman running up the road in distress, holding her dress against her body because the straps had fallen down. When the alleged rapist exited the vehicle, his pants fell down. That same man identified himself to police as Kevin Cornwall, who later changed his name to Kevin Correll and became a suspect in the 2001 death of 23-year-old Rachelle, his former employee. He has always denied any involvement in Rachelle's case – and has never been charged with her murder. She was set on fire and left to rot in the bush more than two decades ago, but police botched the investigation so badly that no one was ever charged. When Childs' scorched, half-naked body was uncovered along a lonely stretch of highway in the early hours of June 8, 2001, it was one of the biggest crimes to rock the sleepy town of Gerroa, south of Sydney. The podcast team at News Corp are now working with Rachelle's family and ex-detectives to re-investigate the case and uncover long-forgotten evidence. So far, the podcast has had more than 1.3 million downloads and captivated international audiences, dominating the charts on Spotify and Apple. Mr Correll was Rachelle's boss selling used cars at Camden Holden when she died. He was voluntarily questioned by police over Rachelle's death on three separate occasions. His alibi was that he had driven Camden to Campbelltown on June 7, before going to his partner's house in Picton to find she wasn't home. He then drove 10 minutes to Tahmoor where he ordered a bag of chips, a piece of fish, a battered sav and a coke. No one was able to corroborate his alibi. A coronial inquest into Rachelle's death in 2006 failed to identify her killer, and delivered an open finding, but ex-detectives working with the podcast have described the case as 'solvable'. As the podcast investigation unfolds, some of Mr Correll's friends, ex-girlfriends, colleagues and family members have come forward, shedding new light on the man they knew and who is the main suspect in Rachelle's murder.
Courier-Mail
16-05-2025
- Courier-Mail
Chief suspect in Rachelle Childs' case was once arrested allegedly mid-rape of another woman
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dear Rachelle. Followed categories will be added to My News. A police officer has revealed how he arrested the chief suspect in Rachelle Childs' murder for a separate offence – with his 'pants down', allegedly mid-rape. Wayne Neilson told the Dear Rachelle investigation he is still shocked by Kevin Steven Correll telling him the alleged victim 'deserved it', as she was a 'moll'. Mr Correll went on to beat the charge. It is one of four sexual assaults he was accused and acquitted of in the 80s – but the incident has stayed with Mr Neilson as it was rare to have 'arrested them basically in the act.' Rachelle Childs was killed in Gerroa, sotuh of Sydney and her murderer is still on the loose. The retired NSW police officer was on night shift patrol in Liverpool, south-west Sydney, in May 1983 when he heard 'very loud screaming' coming from a parked car. He and his patrol colleague jumped out of their car and were confronted by a young woman running up the road in distress, holding her dress against her body because the straps had fallen down. Retired NSW Police Officer Wayne Neilson. Picture: Sam Ruttyn When the alleged rapist exited the vehicle, his pants fell down. That same man identified himself to police as Kevin Cornwall, who later changed his name to Kevin Correll and became a suspect in the 2001 death of 23-year-old Rachelle, his former employee. He has always denied any involvement in Rachelle's case – and has never been charged with her murder. She was set on fire and left to rot in the bush more than two decades ago, but police botched the investigation so badly that no one was ever charged. Kevin Steven Correll was the chief suspect in the death of Rachelle Childs, whose body was found in bushland. When Childs' scorched, half-naked body was uncovered along a lonely stretch of highway in the early hours of June 8, 2001, it was one of the biggest crimes to rock the sleepy town of Gerroa, south of Sydney. LISTEN TO DEAR RACHELLE PODCAST EPISODES BELOW: LISTEN TO MORE EPISODES AT The podcast team at News Corp are now working with Rachelle's family and ex-detectives to re-investigate the case and uncover long-forgotten evidence. So far, the podcast has had more than 1.3 million downloads and captivated international audiences, dominating the charts on Spotify and Apple. Rachelle Childs (right), with her sister Kristy. Mr Correll was Rachelle's boss selling used cars at Camden Holden when she died. He was voluntarily questioned by police over Rachelle's death on three separate occasions. His alibi was that he had driven Camden to Campbelltown on June 7, before going to his partner's house in Picton to find she wasn't home. He then drove 10 minutes to Tahmoor where he ordered a bag of chips, a piece of fish, a battered sav and a coke. No one was able to corroborate his alibi. A coronial inquest into Rachelle's death in 2006 failed to identify her killer, and delivered an open finding, but ex-detectives working with the podcast have described the case as 'solvable'. As the podcast investigation unfolds, some of Mr Correll's friends, ex-girlfriends, colleagues and family members have come forward, shedding new light on the man they knew and who is the main suspect in Rachelle's murder. For more information about our investigation, including early access to new episodes and case files, visit If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at dearrachelle@ You can also join our Dear Rachelle podcast Facebook group.
Daily Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Dear Rachelle podcast: Key details of Rachelle Childs' unsolved murder
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dear Rachelle. Followed categories will be added to My News. A young woman was murdered, set on fire and left to rot in the bush more than two decades ago, but police botched the investigation so badly that no one was ever charged – and her killer is still on the loose. When Rachelle Leigh Childs' scorched, half-naked body was uncovered along a lonely stretch of highway in the early hours of June 8, 2001, it was one of the biggest crimes to rock the sleepy town of Gerroa, south of Sydney. The podcast team at News Corp are now working with Rachelle's family and ex-detectives to re-investigate the case and uncover long-forgotten evidence. So far, the podcast has had more than a million downloads and captivated international audiences, dominating the charts on Spotify and Apple. Rachelle Childs was killed when she was just 23 years of age. What the rudimentary police investigation did uncover was that unleaded petrol was poured on the face of Rachelle, who was 23, and very specific parts of her body in an apparent attempt to hide DNA evidence, before she was dumped at a concrete tank near Gerroa, about 100km away from her home. Her semi-nude state suggests her death was sexually motivated, and the killing was violent – likely by smothering or strangulation. She also knew her attacker because she sat with him in her prized 1978 Holden Commodore as they drove down the NSW south coast together. LISTEN TO DEAR RACHELLE PODCAST EPISODES BELOW: LISTEN TO MORE EPISODES AT The grisly details of the murder terrified the small community and triggered fears that a serial killer might prey on more women. There was a police investigation, but it was marred by incompetence and ultimately failed to attain vital evidence within the first critical 48 hours. When a local senior constable thwarted the handing over of the case to the NSW homicide squad, the investigation was doomed to errors and distractions. Crime scene images from where Rachelle Child' burning body was found at Gerroa on June 8, 2001. Police cordoned off the area where Rachelle Childs' burning body was found on Crooked River Road. Possible CCTV of Rachelle and her killer at a petrol station between Camden and Gerroa, in the hours before she died, was lost by police. DNA from a bedsheet in Rachelle's car was contaminated by an officer on the scene, her phone records weren't obtained properly, and suspects weren't duly eliminated from a long list. Vital evidence was lost, the offender got away with murder, and the cold case was effectively swept under the rug. As a result, it's unlikely the average Australian is aware of Rachelle Childs' case. Her photo has now been languishing at the back of police cold case records for about 24 years, the $200,000 reward for information hasn't changed in 14 years, and her file has volleyed between detectives and unsolved homicide squads for the best part of the last five years. While the official investigation effectively stalled, Rachelle's family never stopped campaigning to find her killer. The podcast investigation team has now tracked down the prime suspect in Rachelle's murder, Kevin Steven Correll, and all the circumstantial evidence surrounding her death. Mr Correll was Rachelle's boss selling used cars at Camden Holden when she died. What Rachelle and the rest of the community probably didn't know was that he was previously acquitted of four violent rapes under his birth name, Kevin Cornwall. Person of interest in the murder of Rachelle Childs, Kevin Steven Correll. Picture: Julian Andrews In one alleged instance, police caught him with his pants down in the middle of an alleged sexual assault. The woman was screaming and telling officers on the scene she was assaulted. The police officers later said that he told them the woman was 'only a moll, she's fair go for anybody' and even admitted he got 'a bit carried away'. Mr Correll was charged with sexual assault and tried in court, but the jury found he wasn't guilty. This happened four times in the same decade. In the 1980s, alleged rapists were often acquitted because their alleged victims were humiliated in court. Their clothing choices, past behaviour, and relationship history was all used to destroy their character, discredit their claims, and imply they were asking for sexual attention. Kevin Steven Correll, pictured here during the inquest into Rachelle Childs' death, is a person of interest in her murder. Another alleged victim said Mr Correll responded to a spare room ad in the paper, but turned up at her house using a different name and looked at the room. She alleged he returned to her property later in a balaclava and raped her at knifepoint, threatening to kill her children if she screamed. The woman was able to pick his mugshot out from a list of hundreds because she recognised his eyes, and a mark between his eyes. She was also humiliated on the witness stand, before a jury. A third woman who accused Mr Correll of rape incident had a strikingly similar story. The alleged victims did not know each other. Past allegations aside, it's possible Mr Correll was among the last people to see Rachelle alive when she left work on the afternoon of June 7, 2001. Some said she told them she was meeting up with someone at the Bargo Hotel that evening, but she didn't tell anyone who it was. After a brief telephone call with her sister in the car after leaving work, she was never heard from again. A motorist later came forward and told police they saw a car matching the description of Rachelle's Commodore parked off the highway at about 10.20pm on June 7, about 200m from where her body was eventually found. One man saw what could have been Rachelle's car with its boot open in a similar area before 11pm, telling police at the time that one person was on the ground and another was standing. A couple then passed the car half an hour later and noticed the driver was slumped over the wheel as though they were asleep or trying to hide. Bushland in Gerroa where Rachelle Childs' burning body was found. Another woman saw a fire in the bush at about 2.05am. She described an older, square-shaped car – similar to a Holden – made a U-turn about 20m ahead of her, with its headlights off. Ten minutes later, a security guard found Rachelle's burning body. A former employee of Camden Holden, Fiona, said Mr Correll 'looked like shit' when he turned up to work the following morning. He and Rachelle had a good working relationship, but Fiona said he didn't offer to help search for her and didn't appear to care about her disappearance at all. The following day, on June 9, Rachelle's car was found parked out the back of Bargo Hotel. There was no CCTV at the hotel at the time, and only about half the patrons from the pub that night were questioned by police. Rachelle Childs' VH Commodore. Rachelle Childs' prized Holden Commodore was found parked at the back of the Bargo Hotel after she was killed. Mr Correll was voluntarily questioned by police over Rachelle's death on three separate occasions and he denies any involvement in it. His alibi was that he had driven Camden to Campbelltown on June 7, before going to his partner's house in Picton to find she wasn't home. He then drove 10 minutes to Tahmoor where he ordered a bag of chips, a piece of fish, a battered sav and a coke. No one was able to corroborate his alibi. Further, it bore striking resemblance to his alibi for an alleged rape in the 1980s. During that case, he told police he ordered a bag of chips, a piece of fish, a battered sav, and a loaf of bread. Ex detective and cold case specialist Damian Loone and Rachelle Childs sister Kristy stand with Rachelle's Commodore. Picture: Jeff Darmanin Detective Inspector Mick Ashwood said it 'stands out to you' that the sameness of the alibis 'could be manufactured evidence'. Mr Correll's partner later testified that he didn't mention eating fish and chips during a phone call on the night of June 7, but did speak of plans to get pizza for dinner. Phone tower records also appeared to place him in the area Rachelle was last believed to have been alive, a fair distance away from Tahmoor. A coronial inquest into Rachelle's death in 2006 failed to identify her killer, and delivered an open finding, but ex-detectives working with the podcast have described the case as 'solvable'. As the podcast investigation unfolds, some of Mr Correll's friends, ex-girlfriends, colleagues and family members have come forward, shedding new light on the man they knew and who is the main suspect in Rachelle's murder. For more information about our investigation, including early access to new episodes and case files, visit If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen at dearrachelle@ You can also join our Dear Rachelle podcast Facebook group. Originally published as Dear Rachelle investigation: Key details of Rachelle Childs' grisly unsolved murder
Daily Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Dear Rachelle podcast: Anne Childs' message to her daughter's killer
Don't miss out on the headlines from Dear Rachelle. Followed categories will be added to My News. I have been robbed of 24 years of amazing memories. My daughter Rachelle (Chelle) never got to be a bridesmaid for her sister Kristy's wedding. She never got to be Auntie Chelle to her niece. I always wonder what Chelle would look like and what she would be doing. She was such a presence. She'd be the coolest auntie, I'm sure, stirring up all sorts of mischief on Kristy's farm. Murdered woman Rachelle Childs' sister Kristy and mother Anne. Picture: Adam Yip Kristy and Anne Childs look at photos of Rachelle Childs when she was younger. Picture: Adam Yip The trauma of losing her in such a horrific way has never dimmed, even after the years without answers rolled into decades. The other day I opened a diary which I started in 2001, after Chelle's funeral. How does a life so vibrant just not be there anymore? She was just so there, and now she's not. I don't think I'll ever be able to come to terms with this. I miss her soooo much … half my future is gone. A young Rachelle Childs. At 23, she was murdered. Rachelle Childs. Her burning body was found in bushland on the side of the road in June 2001. LISTEN TO THE LATEST DEAR RACHELLE PODCAST EPISODES BELOW: I have had a long time to find the right words to describe you, Chelle's killer. Nasty, senseless, cruel, narcissistic, irrational, insane, inhumane and warped are among the first which come to mind. I naturally prefer to focus on happier things. There are so many photos, so many memories of Chelle. We were a feel good family. A young Rachelle Childs, who at aged 23 was brutally murdered. Rachelle Childs with her father Graham nursing Kristy Graham Childs with Rachelle (back) and her sister Kristy Childs (front). Chelle's father Graham adored his girls. He hated amusement rides, but climbed into a dodgem car with Chelle, aged about 10, at a time when she loved horses more than cars. Rachelle Childs with Missy the Horse Rachelle Childs loved horses. A young Rachelle Childs, right, with friend Lisa. There was cake for Chelle's Holy Communion at about the same age. Chelle and Kristy were close siblings, even allowing for the four year age difference and the sharp distinctions of their personality. Chelle roared about. Kristy was quieter. They were always very tight, especially after the stage that Kristy had grown taller. Rachelle Childs with her sister Kristy. Rachelle Childs with younger sister Kristy at Revesby Worker's Club. Sisters Kristy and Rachelle Childs. Occasionally, I'd dress them in the same outfits, such as one time when we ate at the Revesby Workers' Club (in Sydney) not far from home. Christmas was always special, once Chelle (not a morning person) had gotten up and allowed the rest of us to start to celebrate. I will always remember Chelle's 21st birthday. She was Shirley Temple and Kristy was a cowgirl. I was a maitre d and Graham was a judge. Graham, Kristy, Rachelle and Anne Childs. Graham always believed that he would see you, the killer, caught. He never got that day. He died of a brain tumour during Covid. And so half my family is gone now. On Chelle's birthday (and other family occasions) Kristy and I do a sync-a-drink/sink-a-drink by sending photos of our drink of choice to one another at 8pm. We never miss. Anne Childs has penned a letter to her daughter Rachelle's killer, saying she's been robbed of 24 years of memories. I'm also convinced that Chelle and Gra are looking down from above, yelling 'get the mongrel'. That mongrel is you. You must be held accountable. Rachelle Childs. I don't know how you can sleep at night. Make my Mother's Day. Own up and set your conscience free. A young Rachelle Childs. At age 23, she was brutally murdered. Rachelle Childs as a young girl. LISTEN TO EARLIER EPISODES OF THE PODCAST BELOW: ANNE CHILDS' POEM ABOUT DAUGHTER RACHELLE My Girl (2007) Like many others out there who's lost someone I need a reason why … who was the one? This is not the way life's supposed to be This was not the plan … she should be here with me! I feel her there sometimes … I know that she's around I hear her voice even though there's no sound Sometimes in my dreams I find her there But then I wake and look around … it just isn't fair In my heart she will always be From before she was born to eternity There's not a day in my life that goes by That I don't think of her and see that smile But I put on a show and the feelings I hide No one really knows the mess I am inside Things will get better I guess as each day goes by It's been six years now … I'm still wondering why! She's still a big part of my life … that's the way it'll always be I miss my girl so very much … she meant the world to me The memories I have are precious and will never fade away I transfer my thoughts into poetry … writing words that I can't say. For more information about our investigation, If you have any tips or confidential information, please contact investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen atdearrachelle@ You can also join ourDear Rachelle podcast Facebook group.
Mercury
03-05-2025
- Mercury
Murder of Rachelle Childs: Kristy & Ashlea Pt.1
Rachelle Childs was brutally murdered 24 years ago. The young woman was found burning in the bush, partially undressed. Her killer is still on the loose. In a new podcast series called Dear Rachelle, her sister Kristy joins investigative journalist Ashlea Hansen to find answers to this unsolved crime. Can't get enough of I Catch Killers? Stay up to date on all the latest crime news at The Daily Telegraph. Get episodes of I Catch Killers a week early and ad-free, as well as bonus content, by subscribing to Crime X+ today. Like the show? Get more at Advertising enquiries: newspodcastssold@ Questions for Gary: icatchkillers@ Get in touch with the show by joining our Facebook group, and visiting us on Instagram or Tiktok.
