A $500,000 reward has been announced in a bid to solve the 1987 cold case murder of Queensland taxi driver Bryan Hodgkinson after new DNA was found by police.
The father-of-three’s body was found on Goodwood Road in Goodwood, about 32 kilometres south of Bundaberg, at 7.30am on September 10, 1987.
Police said the 48-year-old taxi driver was found with trauma to his head and throat as well as stab wounds to his abdomen and chest.
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Hodgkinson was due to finish work at 1am when he received a taxi fare via radio from the taxi base at 12.31am.
He accepted the job with details to collect a passenger named Sykes from the corner of Targo and Burnett Street in Bundaberg.
It is not unknown if Hodgkinson collected this fare as his contact with the taxi base at 12.31am on September 10, 1987 was the last time Hodgkinson was confirmed to be alive.
His wife Elaine reported him missing after he failed to return home from his shift.
Hodgkinson’s taxi was later found abandoned on Beatrice Street in Bundaberg.
There was no damage to the taxi when it was found but the taxi keys, coin dispenser and an amount of money were missing.
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A coronial inquest was finalised in the Bundaberg Coroners Court in 2018.
After hearing the evidence of many witnesses and people of interest, the coroner could not make a definitive finding.
Queensland Police said new and enhanced forensic testing of exhibits seized from both Hodgkinson’s taxi and the vicinity of his body has sparked the current investigation.
After an extensive review, detectives believe there are people who know what happened to Hodgkinson.
“Police would like to speak with the person with the name ‘Sykes’ who called Bundaberg Taxis at 12.31am on September 10, 1987, requesting a taxi pickup from the corner of Targo and Burnett Streets, Bundaberg,” Detective Senior Sergeant Tara Kentwell said.
“We are seeking any person who may have seen Bryan’s taxi travelling out of and back into Bundaberg CBD in the early hours of September 10, 1987, to contact police.”
Kentwell said the reward is for information which leads to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this murder.
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