It has now been 24 years since Steven and Barbara Brooks and Barbara’s son Stacie Willoughby were murdered, but as yet no-one has come to justice.
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A large reward is still being offered for information into the triple murder.
The NSW Government is offering $250,000 for information leading to the conviction of person or persons responsible for their shooting murders.
At their time of the deaths, Steven was 38, Barbara was 34 and Stacie was just 13.
The bodies of Mrs Brooks and Stacie were discovered on March 16, 2000 in their family car in the Millewa State Forest, 55km south of Deniliquin.
Four days later, the body of Steven Brooks was found in bushland 500m from where the bodies of his wife and stepson were earlier located.
All three had been shot to the head with a .22 calibre weapon.
The family were last seen sitting in a car with an unknown man in Deniliquin's main street, the afternoon before their bodies were found.
The identity of the man has never been established.
State Crime Command Homicide Squad detectives commenced Strike Force Rodi in 2000 to investigate the slayings but despite an extensive investigation no person has been charged.
A Deniliquin man was identified as a person of interest during an inquest held in Deniliquin in 2001, but Deputy State Coroner Jacqui Milledge found insufficient evidence for any charges to be preferred.
Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Hans Rupp, who is now retired, described the murders as extremely heinous.
"This was an execution style killing of the worst kind with the life of a young boy taken in the most violent of circumstances," he said.
"We are appealing to anyone with information to come forward and assist detectives in finding the monstrous criminal or criminals responsible."
In 2017, for the 17th anniversary, the Brooks’ youngest daughter Karla spoke exclusively to the Pastoral Times to appeal for people to come forward.
‘‘I would just like anyone with information to just come forward, so our family can get some closure,“ she said at the time.
Barbara Brooks with her children Carissa, Stacie and Karla.
Photo by
generagos
‘‘This person was ‘man’ enough to take three lives, a young life included, so they should be man enough to take responsibility for their actions.
‘‘Growing up without parents is hard. Seeing your friends with their parents, doing stuff with them; I just wish I got to do the same.
‘‘Even now when things go wrong or are getting stressful, I can’t go to my parents. So I just deal with it myself.’’
Not long after the murders Karla, who was six when they were killed, and her sister Carissa moved to Wagga with family.
Do you have information that can help police with this case?
Any information you have about this is worth giving to police, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.
You can provide information to police via any of the methods below:
• Call Crime Stoppers any time on 1800 333 000
• Report information to Crime Stoppers any time via the secure online form at https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/cs.aspx.
• Visit or call your local Police Station
Any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Your help may give police the clue they need to close this case and provide some comfort for the families of victims.
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