A $250,000 reward has been announced for information relating to the 1997 suspicious disappearance of Marion Barter, who was once married to ‘Captain Socceroo’ Johnny Warren.
Marion, then aged 51, was last seen at a bus depot on Scarborough Street, near Railway Street, at Southport, Queensland, on Sunday 22 June in 1997.
Police say that in the weeks leading up to her disappearance, Marion was also observed by a family member leaving a service station on Ferry Road, Southport, in a red Honda Civic Breeze with a tall male passenger in the vehicle.
Inquiries at the time revealed that Marion left Australia for the United Kingdom on 22 June, 1997, under the name Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, which she had officially changed the month before leaving the country.
Her outgoing passenger card stated that she was divorced and intended to reside in Luxembourg.
Marion’s disappearance became the focus of a podcast two years ago. Her daughter, Sally Leydon, who featured in the podcast, also told Mamamia in 2019 that an unknown person left a message on her Facebook page back in 2013.
The author of the message, who identified themselves as Clark Hunter, wrote: “Natalia is alive but you (sic) never see her again” Ms Leydon told Mamamia.
“It was not her intention to disappear. She was forced,” she says the person wrote in another message.
Ms Leydon said she was quick to chase up the strange Facebook posts, but soon found the author had deleted their messages.
“This was quite a few years ago…but I kept a screenshot,” Sally said.
“I don’t know if he’s a troll or if he’s someone genuine.”
Sally told the podcast that she grew concerned after not hearing from her mum for a number of weeks after she left for her trip to Europe.
“I rang the bank… and said to the lady on the phone ‘my mum’s travelling overseas by herself, we haven’t heard from her in a while and… we are concerned for her. Can you check to see if she’s using her account’?
“The standard answer was ‘I’m really sorry, I can’t tell you anything due to privacy’ but then she paused and asked ‘Did you say your mum’s overseas?’, which I said yes to.
“And then she said ‘Oh my god, money is coming out of her account in Byron Bay’.”
Upon learning that thousands of dollars had been withdrawn from Marion’s account in Byron Bay and Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Ms Leydon reported her mum missing and police began to investigate.
But sadly, they found no trace of Marion.
On Saturday, 2 August 1997, investigators believe Marion may have re-entered Australia under the name of Florabella Remakel with an incoming passenger card stating she was married and resided in Luxembourg.
Inquiries also confirmed that following her disappearance, an unknown person appears to have accessed a bank accounts belonging to Marion, withdrawing more than $80,000.
A coronial inquest, presided by the NSW State Coroner, began in Sydney on Monday and will continue at Ballina and Byron Bay next week.
A NSW Government reward of $250,000 for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons responsible for Marion’s suspicious disappearance has been announced today.
As inquiries continue, police are renewing their appeal to the community to come forward with any information that may assist detectives with their inquiries.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, said Marion’s case has left her family and friends with many unanswered questions.
“For 24 years, family and friends of Marion have lived without any understanding of why she disappeared so abruptly,” Mr Elliott said.
“Marion’s daughter, Sally, has never given up her quest for the truth. The NSW Government hopes this new reward will encourage anyone with information, particularly in the timeframe that police believe Marion returned to Australia, to come forward and speak to detectives.”
Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said strike force detectives have re-examined items from the original investigation, with the hope that this appeal and the upcoming inquest will encourage people to speak up.
“Marion’s behaviour leading up to June 1997 and following her departure from Australia has been described as out of character,” Det Supt Doherty said.
“We are particularly eager to hear from anyone who may have had any interaction with Marion Barter or Florabella Remakel from June 1997 onwards, particularly in late July or early August 1997.
“We are trying to piece together some of the missing links in Marion’s movements and her close connections to create a full picture of exactly what has happened,” Det Supt Doherty said.
