A man seen wearing Ugg boots could hold the key to the death of a woman found strangled in a Sydney CBD hotel room almost 40 years ago.
The Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Michael Gallacher, has announced a $100,000 reward in relation to the unsolved murder of 45-year-old Elaine King in 1974.
Ms King’s body was located by a housemaid in a room at the Burlington Hotel about 8.15am on Friday 12 July 1974. An autopsy revealed she had been strangled sometime between 10.30pm and midnight the previous night.
A Coronial Inquest into Ms King’s death was held at the Glebe Coroner’s Court in 1976 but no person or people were ever identified as being responsible. The matter is now under investigation by State Crime Command’s Unsolved Homicide Team.
Detective Inspector John Lehmann from the Unsolved Homicide Team said Ms King was known to have worked as a prostitute in the Sydney CBD and was often seen at various hotels in the area.
“About 7.30pm on Thursday 11 July 1974, Ms King was seen drinking at the Capital Hotel, in Campbell Street, Haymarket, with a young man described as wearing Ugg boots and drinking Reschs-brand beer,” he said.
“She was later seen in the company of a man in the same hotel, before booking into the Burlington Hotel about 9.45pm with an unknown male.
“To this day police still don’t know if there were three separate men or it was the same person seen with Ms King.”
Police released images of the boots and a depicted image of the man wearing the boots; however, detectives were never able to identify him.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Michael Gallacher, said he hoped the passing of time could help someone to come forward and break their silence.
“Someone out there knows something and we are urging them to come forward,” he said.
The reward of up to $100,000 is payable for information that leads to the conviction of the person or people responsible for Ms King’s death.
Anyone who can assist police should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.