An alleged affair with a married man almost three decades ago could help solve the cold case murder of a Queensland mother, as police double the reward to $500,000 for information and begin retesting evidence from the crime scene.
Dianne Angwin was fatally stabbed inside her own home on Leichhardt Street, Bowen, in the Whitsundays just after midnight on December 2, 1997. She was 50 years old.
Her friend and housemate told police she was woken up and confronted by an armed man just moments before.
“There are people out there with information,” detective senior sergeant Tara Kentwell said.
“Relationships and loyalties change, and I would encourage anyone with information, big or small, to contact police.”
Angwin grew up in Victoria where she was married with four children before moving to Bowen with a new partner in 1995.
They separated soon after she arrived in North Queensland, and she lived at various homes in Bowen before moving in with friend Edith Lay – known as Edie – in September, 1997.
The duo were frequently seen together at pubs and clubs across town, and they attended the Bowen Bowls Club along Livingstone Street on the evening of December 1, 1997.
Angwin returned home about 6.30pm and her friend was about an hour behind.
We would like to speak to anyone who has information regarding a relationship Dianne was involved in with a local married man
Detective senior sergeant Tara Kentwell
Lay told investigators she was woken in her bed about 12.30am by an unknown man with one hand over her mouth, and a knife in the other.
Angwin appeared in the doorway before running away. The man chased her and fatally stabbed her in the neck before leaving the flat.
She was pronounced dead on arrival at Bowen Base Hospital.
Police found no signs of forced entry or disturbance during the investigation, and no property was stolen from the unit.
Detective senior sergeant Kentwell revealed on Thursday police had spoken to witnesses who said Lay, who died in 2022, had confided in them she knew the identity of the armed man, but had kept it secret out of fear.
“We would like to speak to anyone who has information regarding a relationship Dianne was involved in with a local married man, who had been seen at her unit,” the officer said.
“Information suggests that around the time of Dianne’s murder, she was actively encouraging him to leave his wife so they could overtly continue the relationship.”
Police obtained over 100 witness statements at the time of the murder, but never solved the crime.
The Queensland Homicide Cold Case Investigation Team recently began a review into the death, retesting items from the crime scene including the clothes Angwin was wearing when stabbed.
Detectives are travelling to Bowen, Cairns and Victoria to re-interview key witnesses and persons of interest. A mobile police facility will also be set up in Bowen’s CBD to engage with residents.
The initial reward of $250,000 was upped to $500,000 on Thursday. There has been very little previous media coverage of the murder, which occurred just months before the high-profile disappearance of teenager Rachel Antonio from the same small town.
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