Eerie graffiti has re-emerged as a chilling clue in one of Western Australia’s most haunting cold cases – the 14-year disappearance and suspected murder of 66-year-old Charlie Park.
WA Police this week released images of cryptic graffiti they believe is directly linked to Park’s vanishing, hoping the unsettling markings might jog memories and finally break a case that has long defied answers.
Park was last seen at about 10.30pm on January 3, 2012, entering his home on Richardson Street in Boulder after spending the evening with a co-worker at the nearby Recreation Hotel. Three days later, he was reported missing. Despite repeated public appeals and a $1 million reward for information, no trace of him has ever been found.
Investigators now suspect Park was murdered.
The newly released graffiti was discovered in a laneway behind the Recreation Hotel between December 21 and 22, 2011 – just weeks before Park disappeared. Police say the markings were deliberately targeting Park and are believed to be connected to what happened to him.
The timing has added a disturbing new layer to the investigation, suggesting his disappearance may have been foreshadowed long before he walked through his front door for the last time.
In a renewed push for answers, police have established a mobile police facility near the pub and will maintain a visible presence in the area as inquiries continue.
Cold Case Investigations Detective Senior Sergeant Uwais Cuff said the anniversary was a stark reminder of a family still waiting for closure.
“This week marks 14 years since Mr Park went missing, and although that time has passed, we are leaving no stone unturned to find out what happened to Charlie. Someone out there knows something which could be the vital piece of information we need to solve this,” he said.
“Someone out there may hold the key to bringing answers to Charlie’s family. If you know anything – no matter how minor it may seem – contact police.”
For investigators, the hope is simple: that the unsettling graffiti, once dismissed or forgotten, will now speak, and finally help reveal the truth behind Charlie Park’s disappearance.
Images: WA Police
