DNA Breakthrough Identifies Suspect in 45-Year-Old Perth Murder Case

Police name Terence John Fisher as the suspected killer of Kerryn Tate, leveraging genetic genealogy to link him to the 1979 murder and potentially two other deaths.

• Kerryn Tate, 22, was found murdered in bushland near Karragullen, Western Australia, in December 1979, with DNA evidence recovered at the scene.
• Recent advancements in genetic genealogy allowed police to identify Terence John Fisher, a former soldier and carpenter who died in 2000, as the suspect in her murder.
• Police believe Fisher may also be connected to the deaths of Barbara Anne Western in 1986 and Kerry Suzanne Turner in 1991, though investigations are ongoing.
• Detectives are seeking public assistance to piece together Fisher's movements and routine, particularly his activities at a Fremantle sailing club and his time living in Rivervale and Manning during the late 1970s.
• The family of Kerryn Tate expressed relief at the breakthrough, with police emphasizing the importance of public information in solving this long-standing case.

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