Michelle Bright was last seen by a friend who dropped her off in Herbert Street in Gulgong on February 27, 1999.
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Her family and friends still wonder what happened after the schoolgirl left a friend’s birthday party that night.
The 17-year-old’s semi-naked body was found three days later facedown in long grass by the side of the road.
Sometime in the early hours of the morning on February 27, Michelle was sexually assaulted and murdered.
Police announced this week that half-a-million dollars would be awarded to anyone who provided information leading to a conviction for the crime.
The horrific attack shattered the small community of Gulgong and led to extensive investigations fed by endless rumours in the town.
During a coronial inquest last year, Michelle’s former boyfriend said there was no way she would have walked home at night by herself and that she must have known her attacker because if it was someone she didn’t know, she would have “fought like hell”.
The ongoing investigation has led to the biggest reward on offer in NSW, equal only to the reward offered in 1996 in relation to the Ivan Milat backpacker murders.
The announcement came shortly after two other unsolved murders in the region were brought to the fore, with an offer of $100,000 in each for information leading to a conviction.
Michelle’s case is still a mystery that many people desperately want solved.
“This crime shocked the small town of Gulgong to its core and caused unimaginable grief to Michelle’s family,” NSW police minister Michael Daley said.
“(Her) parents deserve to know what happened to their little girl, and I hope that the increase in the NSW Government reward encourages someone to come forward.”
Michelle’s mother, Lorraine Bright, said her daughter was a “lovely girl” and was “much loved by her family and friends”.
“Her death has devastated our family,” she said. “While we will never recover from her death, we need to know who killed her and why.”
The unsolved Bourke murder of 73-year-old Janie Perrin is also still being actively investigated by police.
Her body was found bludgeoned in her unit on November 3, 1990.
She had been sexually assaulted and murdered sometime after 9pm the evening before, after she was last seen walking into her home.
The reward has been doubled to $100,000 in the hope that enough evidence could be secured to lead to a conviction, after a cold case review.
“We have not forgotten her case and my detectives are constantly reviewing our information on the matter and following numerous lines of inquiry,” acting Inspector Nathaniel Luck said.
“Mrs Perrin’s family are still living without closure and would like nothing more than to put an end to this horrific chapter of their lives. They lost a loving mother and grandmother almost two decades ago and they deserve to see someone brought to justice over her death.”
The fatal bashing that led to the death of 20-year-old Penny Hill also remains unsolved, with police still searching for the culprit or culprits.
The young girl had only moved to Coolah three days before the attack, living away from her family for the first time.
She was working as a nanny.
After Ms Hill was found unconscious with severe head and facial injuries on July 8, 1991, she was taken to John Hunter Hospital.
Tragically, the young woman died almost two weeks later. She had not regained consciousness since the attack.
“Penny was a young girl living away from home for the first time,” Mr Daley said.
Anyone with information about the murder is urged to contact Bourke detectives on (02) 6870 0835 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous if they wish.