SYDNEY — 1986 · Murder
The Murder of Anita Cobby
Anita Cobby, a 26-year-old nurse, was abducted in a stolen car on the night of 2 February 1986 as she walked home from Blacktown railway station in western Sydney. Her body was found two days later in a paddock at nearby Prospect. The murder provoked a wave of outrage across Australia and deeply influenced debates on public safety and sentencing. Police soon arrested five men. They were convicted of abduction, sexual assault and murder on 10 June 1987 and on 16 June 1987 sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, their papers marked "never to be released". One of them died in prison in 2019.
- Date
- 1986
- Place
- Blacktown, Australia, Sydney, AU
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- -33.7969, 150.9224 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2 February 1986Anita Cobby was abducted walking home from Blacktown station.
- 4 February 1986Her body was found at Prospect.
- 10 June 1987Five accused were convicted.
- 16 June 1987They were sentenced to life without parole.
- 2019One of the prisoners died in prison.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Murder of Anita Cobby en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Mamamia — Anita Cobby's husband breaks 30-year silence mamamia.com.au ↗
- Wikipedia
- Mamamia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.