Ten years after Dubbo woman Lateesha Nolan was murdered and her body hidden by notorious killer Malcolm Naden, her family finally have a place they can go and pay their respects.
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On the 10th anniversary of her disappearance, a memorial was unveiled at Sandy Beach, on the bank of the Macquarie River.
Surrounded by family, friends and the police who worked so hard to find Lateesha's killer, her four children Kiesha, Erica, Jayden and Shaqkaila unveiled the traditional wooden carving and black marble plaque that will stand as a timeless tribute to their devoted mother.
The memorial has been designed to give Lateesha's family somewhere to remember her.
The family have had to endure a decade of uncertainty, firstly about the fate of Lateesha, after she disappeared on January 4, 2005, and later about where her body was dumped.
Naden, Lateesha's cousin, was captured in March 2012 after almost seven years on the run. He became a prime suspect in Lateesha's case after Kristy Scholes was found murdered in his bedroom at his grandparent's house in June 22, 2005.
While Naden admitted to killing Lateesha and Kristy and gave police information on the whereabouts of his cousin's body after his capture in 2012, her remains have never been found and it has tortured the family.
In a letter read by Detective Senior Constable Sue-Ellen Scott, Joan Nolan said she had never recovered from having her daughter taken away and never would.
"The fourth of January 2005 was the most agonising of my life and the day that changed me forever. Lateesha, losing you through murder was unfair, unjust and unnatural, unexpected and the most painful experience I have had to endure," the letter said.
"The shock left me totally bewildered and the truth and reality that you would never be coming home left me numb inside.
"My heart was forever broken. My daughter, I miss you more than words can say and I mourn everyday for you."
Lateesha's uncle, Ted Lancaster thanked police, especially Detective Senior Constable Scott and Detective Sergeant Mark Meredith of the Orana Local Area Command and Homicide Squad leader Michael Willing, for their tireless efforts in tracking down Naden. He said in doing so they had become like part of the family.
"We went from being acquaintances through Lateesha's disappearance and grew to friendships but it's now more than this and our family now see the two people standing here as extended family," he said.
Ted also spoke on behalf of Lateesha's grandparents, Florence and Jack Nolan. Florence passed away without knowing what had happened to her granddaughter, while Jack died just six months after Naden was caught.
The memorial finished with Lateesha's children releasing dozens of blue balloons, their mother's favourite colour, into the sky.
Dubbo MP and Acting Premier Troy Grant presented the Western Region Command, Detective Senior Constable Scott, Detective Sergeant Meredith and Detective Superintendent Willing with the Dubbo Electorate award for Contribution to the Community from the NSW Parliament.