The disappearance of a Melbourne teen and a chilling clue | Forensic Files

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came as a little surprise to those who knew Rachel barber that she had chosen to leave conventional high school to
pursue a career in dance her passion for the art began when she was in the womb her mother Elizabeth would press
headphones to her bare belly and feel her unborn daughter moved to the sounds of classical music 15 year old Rachel as
well as her younger sisters 11 year old Ashley rose and 2 9 year-old Heather inherited the flair for the creative
arts that rang in their extended family which boasted a children's author photographer artist writer toy maker and
designer as a young child Rachel directed and choreographed performances at home for her sisters the starring as
her enthusiasm for classical ballet flourished rachel enrolled in classes at the melbourne dance academy and would
spend her lunch breaks at primary school practicing her routines in the hall at home her bedroom cupboards were crammed
full of leotards tarts and to dance shoes which she often pulled out for her youngest sisters to dress up in she
dreamed of becoming a professional performer who ran her own studio regarded as the natural beauty Rachel
posed for her grandmother's photographs and artistic works for years and at age 14 she enrolled in a two-week modeling
course tall and slim with piercing green eyes Rachel was soon featured in health and
lifestyle magazine women's fitness Australia not long after completing the muddling
course Rachel begged her parents to let her leave high school early to study full-time at the Dance Factory a
performing arts school in Ian a Melbourne suburb of Richmond although Rachel's heart was clearly in
dance and to not academia the decision wasn't an easy one for her parents the dance Factory was an expensive school
and today held concerns their daughter might change her mind to later but her talent was undeniable and today
eventually agreed Rachel threw herself wholeheartedly into the diploma attending all her classes and practicing
diligently her parents even allowed her to rip up the carpet in her bedroom to expose the polished wooden floorboards
underneath so she had somewhere functional to practice at home Monday March 1 1999 presented an unusually
humid morning as 15-year old Rachel barber dressed in a pair of long black pants a blue top jazz shoes and several
items of jury she slung her black bag over her shoulder which contained her wallet and a homemade gift she'd spent
the weekend sewing for her boyfriend a purple cushion in the shape of a heart tied with a pink ribbon her plan for the
day was to meet some friends for breakfast before the group headed to the dance Factory for a typical day of
classes after kissing her mother goodbye Rachel bounded out the front door of her
family's Bayswater North home in Melbourne Z Stern suburbs she turned to wave happily calling out over her
shoulder bye mum love you Rachel was not overly confident navigating mobin's public transport
system so each morning her parents took turns dropping her off at one of two nearby trams thoughts on this day
Michael barber drove his daughter to the Waddell Park stop on the corner of rivers Dale and to Elgar roads on his
way to work he planned to pick her up from the same stop at around 6:15 p.m. that evening Rachel boarded the 9:30
a.m. tram to Richmond arriving to a friend's house to eat breakfast with several other performing arts students
from the dance Factory including her 16 year old boyfriend emmanuel known by friends as many the couple had met at
the dance Factory in May the previous year and had since become inseparable Rachel gave Manny the purple
heart-shaped cushion she had made him telling him he had captured her heart at around 10:15 a.m. Rachel Manny under
their companions made their way to the dance Factory during classes Rachel mentioned to one of her fellow students
that she was going to make a lot of money that evening but didn't explain how simply saying she would tell him all
about it the following day it wasn't the first time rachel had brought up the money she planned to make that night
whilst she and Manny were walking down the main shopping strip of Swan Street rachel showed him $100 pair of blue
platform shoes she intended to buy the following day she'd been eyeing the shoes for a while taking her mother to
the same shop a week earlier to express her interest in purchasing them although Rachel didn't have the funds to
buy them yet she explained to Manny that she was going to meet up with an older female friend that night who had
promised her a high-paying job that would bring her quote heaps of money along with free clothing perks when
Manny asked for more details rachel acted uncharacteristically secretive and tight-lipped telling him
nothing about the job she explained that she had been instructed not to tell him
or her parents about the work when class finished for the day at around 5:35 p.m.
Rachel left the dance factory with several other classmates and walked along Church Street towards her tram
home on Bridge Road she parted ways with Manny promising to call him later that evening before kissing him goodbye and
walking onwards with two of her friends when their trio reached the Bridge Road turnoff rachel revealed she would be
catching a different tram home than usual from a stop located further down the road one friend offered to escort
her to this other stop but rachel declined assuring them her father would be waiting to pick her up at the other
end of the line at 5:45 p.m. after the trio agreed to meet for breakfast the following morning Rachel separated from
the group and walked off along the western side of Church Street towards Bridge Road in the opposite direction to
her tramline home [Music] at 6:15 p.m. Elizabeth barber was at home preparing dinner for her family while her two
youngest daughters played in the next room her husband Michael and oldest daughter Rachel were expected to walk
through the door any minute as they generally arrived home together no later than 6:45 p.m. yet by 7:15 there was no
sign of them Elizabeth wondered whether Rachel may have missed her tram from Richmond and had been delayed as she
waited for the next one she also considered the possibility the Michael had run out of petrol on the
drive home which he was known to do as neither her husband nor oldest daughter owned a mobile phone Elizabeth had few
options but to enjoy the wait she knew Rachel was keen to carry on their conversation from the previous day
regarding the adoption of a kitten she had preemptively named Humphrey near a half an hour later at 7:40 p.m.
Elizabeth was startled by the ringing of the home phone it was her husband calling from his parents house ten
kilometres away in the suburb of Blackburn he explained that he had gone to pick up Rachel from the wattle Park
tram stop as planned but there was no sign of her he stayed at the stop from 6:10 p.m. onwards expecting Rachel to
emerge from any of the passing trams but after an hour of waiting Rachel failed to show Michael headed to his
parents house to contact his wife hoping she might know where their daughter was
the barbers considered the possibility that Rachel had a mistakingly disembarked the tram at Camberwell tram
stopped instead of Waddell Park her mother would pick her up from that particular stop twice a week and there
was every chance Rachel a gun her days mixed up Michael drove to camper world to check only to find out Rachel wasn't
there either Elizabeth barber contacted the Box Hill police station to report Rachel missing
explaining it was extremely out of character for her daughter to be out so late without notifying her family
Rachel was afraid of the dark and felt uncomfortable walking around at night alone on one previous occasion she was
followed to the local shop by several men this experience serving to exacerbate her fears she was also shy
meaning if she had gotten lost Rachel would opt to walk over catching public transport and would not ask a stranger
for directions police didn't treat the situation with urgency explaining that a majority of missing teenagers usually
showed up within 48 hours alive and well they reassured Elizabeth that Rachel had
probably just lost track of time with friends and would be home soon if not she would surely show up at the dance
studio for her scheduled classes the following day dissatisfied with the lukewarm police response Elizabeth found
Rachel's boyfriend many for information he couldn't offer Rachel's current whereabouts but was able to detail her
actions earlier that day ending with the two parting ways around 5:30 p.m. when Manny made the strange remark she
meant it I didn't think she would go Elizabeth pressed him to explain he recounted Rachel's cryptic comments
earlier that day about a secret well-paying job she had booked for that night but had refused to elaborate on
Elizabeth was unaware that her daughter had recently attended any job interviews
and was confused as the wire rachel would intentionally keep such information from her parents she
contacted Rachel's friends and dance teachers in an effort to trace her movements and determine what this
mysterious job offer might have been she learned that Rachel had bypassed her usual tram home that afternoon and
instead took another but her expected destination was unknown at 8:45 p.m. Michael barber arrived to the Box Hill
police station to file an official missing-persons report despite rising concerns for Rachel
police remains reluctant to initiate an investigation certain that Rachel would turn up fine
they explained the 97% of missing persons are usually located within 48 hours of their disappearance and to
those who don't turn up in that time frame are typically located within five days this did nothing to placate the
worried parents who spent the night driving around a Melbourne City checking every Street and dully way whilst asking
strangers if they had seen a tall brown-haired green eyed teenage girl out and about but none had when Rachel
failed to reappear the next morning of Tuesday March 2nd the barbers paid another visit to the Box Hill police
station to provide photographs of their missing daughter to wade in the search to their frustration the officer on duty
had not been informed of the missing persons report Michael barber had filed the night prior and no worthwhile
efforts had been undertaken to find their daughter the barbers initiated their own
investigation starting with a visit to the dance factory where they spoke with Rachel's friends classmates and teachers
no one could offer any further insight into where she may have gone a search of Rachel's locker revealed nothing more
than her wallet containing small change and the tram ticket dated the morning she went missing
the barbers then visited the store on Swan Street the salt the blue platform shoes that Rachel had been eyeing to buy
for sometime a shop assistant confirmed to Rachel had visited the previous day with mani during which she requested the
shoes be put aside in anticipation for her to purchase them the next day but she had yet to come in to get them
Michael and Elizabeth barber continued along Swan Street and - then headed down Bridge Road making enquiries with local
retailers along the way many recognized the Rachel from her photo and confirmed she had frequented their stores in the
past but none remembered seeing her the previous day as Michael and Elizabeth left one of the stores a sales assistant
followed them outside to disclose a troubling piece of information the proprietor of an illegal brothel in the
nearby inner north and suburb of Fitzroy had recently been released from jail after serving time for exploiting
underage girls in sex work a sales assistant from another shop shared a similar story the previous evening she
had been approached by a woman who told her that someone with her looks could earn a significant amount of money
working at a brothel the possibility that Rachel had been coerced into sex work for cash and clothing seemed
completely far-fetched to her parents nevertheless Elizabeth contacted the Fitzroy based brothel and was told by
staff that the establishment did not acquire workers by approaching strangers on the street
they also assured the mother that Rachel was not recruited by their business and
seemed to genuinely shocked by the suggestion Elizabeth then contacted the sex workers outreach program a
community-based organization focused on the health and safety of sex workers they made note of Rachel's description
to distribute to their street base to welfare workers but explained it was unlikely that the fifteen-year-old was
hired to work in a legal brothel given she was underage with their inquiries leading nowhere
the barbers attended the Richmond police station to push them to initiate an investigation by now Rachel had also
been reported missing by faculty members at the dance Factory despite numerous people having expressed the concern for
the teen the Richmond Police advised the their ability to become involved was limited given the barbers had first
reported Rachel's disappearance to the Box Hill police station they were told it was up to officers there to
investigate the matter the barbers were unaware of this protocol assuming it didn't matter which police station they
communicated with given they were all part of the Victorian police force frustrated that was starting to feel
like they were going around in circles in their attempt to get a proper investigation underway Elizabeth found
hospitals across Melbourne to see if Rachel had been admitted that was told that privacy laws prevented them from
disclosing the identity of any inpatients the same laws also prevented Elizabeth from obtaining information
about calls made to the barber home in the days preceding Rachel's disappearance including income a caller
Ids or locations her phone company were able to hand over the details of outgoing calls made from the house but
there was nothing amongst this data that seemed out of the ordinary local business owners rallied to provide
whatever support they could to the panic-stricken parents the owner of a cafe near the dance factory reached out
to a friend who was a detective in the missing persons unit who spoke with Elizabeth he was unable to get involved
in the investigation at that time but said he would ensure Box Hill police were taking appropriate action to find
Rachel another business owner printed a stack of fliers displaying Rachel's photograph
with her friends and family plastering them on telegraph poles and the notice boards throughout Richmond and a
Melbourne CBD by the third day of Rachel's disappearance officers that the Box Hill police station informed to the
barbers they would visit the dance factory later in the day to speak with the missing teens classmates and
teachers meanwhile Michael and Elizabeth hit the streets of Richmond once again combing alleys for any signs of Rachel
they may have missed during their nighttime searches of the area despite their word box Hill police failed to
appear at the dance factory to question staff and students Elizabeth reached out
to the missing persons unit detective who was still unable to expedite an investigation on his end he suggested
the barbers compile a list of all of Rachel's friends and acquaintances those who could offer insight into the teens
whereabouts they were asked to identify female associates in particular as Rachel had expressed plans to visit an
unnamed old female friend prior to her disappearance unwilling to allow the police to remain idle the barbers once
again attended the police station to write a formal statement about Rachel's disappearance and provide detectives
with more photos of their daughter they were advised to search underneath their house in case Rachel had since returned
home and was hiding too scared to come inside and front her distraught parents despite knowing their daughter would
never do such a thing they searched under the house with a torch in here but rachel was not there on the brink of
delirium from exhaustion and worry Michael and Elizabeth refused to stop and rest continuing to look for Rachel
at any opportunity at 4 a.m. on March 4 after another fruitless search of the city the disheartened couple made their
way home fearing their eldest daughter may never be found police questioned Rachel's boyfriend Manny offering the
scenario that Rachel may have fallen pregnant and run away to avoid the shame of telling her family or that Manny
himself had harmed her when given the news many end of the barbers were certain Rachel was not pregnant and
assured police that even if she was she would have felt safe to turn to her family for support the abundance of
Rachel's missing person posters throughout the city and its surrounds caught the public's attention resulting
in a slew of possible sightings a member of the public claimed to have witnessed
a person matching Rachel's description with two other girls at the East Richmond a railway station on the day
the team vanished police obtained CCTV footage from the station but was certain it did not portray Rachel another report
placed the girl matching Rachel's description on Bridge Road and proximately 8:00 a.m. on March 4 three
days after she vanished the girl was in the company of a man with blond hair convinced this was a genuine sighting
police maintained the belief that Rachel had run away from home and was fine yet this theory didn't make sense to the
barbers if their daughter was adamant on running away into not being found why would she be hanging around the bustling
populated Richmond area in broad daylight where people were actively on the lookout for her the barbers
discussed launching a public appeal via the media but police advised there was not yet a pro
to do so that evening Rachel step-grandmother commenced her month-long art exhibition at the Center
for Contemporary photography in Fitzroy where in several candid images of Rachel
were on display a sign requested anyone who had seen the girl in the photos to advise gallery staff
immediately police were aware of the exhibition and were open to the possibility that someone involved in
Rachel's disappearance may visit a friend of Rachel's step-grandmother remarked I sense a ghostly presence in
this room on to Irish to discount these things the next day police visited the barbers Bayswater North residence to
search through Rachel's bedroom they found a handwritten list compiled by the team that read station go to mani
52 $80.00 three special things Elizabeth explained the list was likely written four months prior as she
recalled the conversation with Rachel just before Christmas where her daughter had spoken about wanting to buy three
special things as a gift for mani the 50 to 80 dollar figure related to a conversation Michael had with Rachel
around this time during which he explained that was all they could afford to spend on her Christmas presents that
year despite these explanations police believed the handwritten list validated their theory that Rachel had run away
they suggested the barbers direct their efforts into accessing counseling and focusing on their other two daughters
instead unable to follow this advice the barber family worked in shifts to answer the home telephone and answer any
calls that came through from the public as a precaution they noted all the names
and phone numbers of those inquiring about the progress of the investigation and to the family's welfare on the
evening of March 4 Michael and Elizabeth ventured to Albert Park to search for aged
at the Australian Grand Prix an annual Formula one motor race that drew in hundreds of thousands of spectators
having failed to spot Rachel at the event the barbers headed to the neighbouring
Waterfront suburb of st. kilda to check the area's infamous red-light district but failed to find Rachel there either
on March 6 the barbers identified someone within their social circle they believed to be a possible suspect
Elizabeth had a male friend who had exhibited some worrying behavior in the past often showing up at her home
unannounced peering through her windows and repeatedly calling the barbers home phone he also visited Elizabeth's
workplace often leaving her notes and gifts Rachel had previously told her mother that the man made her feel
uncomfortable then two weeks before Rachel went missing Elizabeth stepped out of the shower to find the man inside
her home interacting with her two youngest daughters this was the last straw Elizabeth instructed him to leave
and to never contact her family again when the barbers went to the police station to report this man to
investigators they were told they had already used a lot of the police resources that week and what brushed
aside that breaking point Elizabeth ran from the station throwing her bag at a parked police car and breaking down in
tears on the footpath screaming they're going to let our little girl die the next day of March 7 was Elizabeth's 40th
birthday instead of celebrating the milestone with her family she spent the day traveling between Melbourne railway
stations on the lookout for her eldest daughter the search encompassed the annual Moomba festival where Rachel's
missing persons flyers were put on display at the ticket offices and carnival rides
a week had passed since Rachel barber had gone missing when one of her posters caught the attention of Alison the elder
sister of one of Rachel's friends up until that point Alison was unaware of the situation
unfolding but the poster prompted her to contact police she explained that at approximately 6:40 p.m. on March 1st she
saw Rachel aboard at the number 6 tram in the inner city suburb of Prahran this sighting came approximately an hour
after Rachel was last seen in Richmond by her dance classmates Rachel's presence on the number 6 tram
had caught Alison's attention as she had never seen her on there before Rachel was in the company of another female
Alison described as older and plain looking the two seemed comfortable in each other's company and Rachel was
overheard talking excitedly about money and to the kitten she was looking forward to adopting Rachel and her
unknown companion disembarked the tram together at the intersection of High Street and Williams Road where they
stood in front of a car dealership and chatted police immediately got to work compiling a sketch of the older girl
Alison saw with Rachel and informed the barbers that they were finally ready to make a public appeal for information via
the media in the meantime the barbers were contacted by the missing persons unit seeking permission to feature
Rachel's disappearance on the true-crime television show Australia's most wanted
they agreed relieved their ordeal was finally being taken seriously and garnering media attention the missing
persons unit formally assumed responsibility of the case March 10 marked Michael and Elizabeth barbers
20th wedding anniversary but there was little time for celebration when the story of Rachel's disappearance hit the
press their home phone rang off the hook media outlets interviewed the exhausted
parents who gave impassioned pleas for their daughter's safe return her mannequin dressed in the outfit rachel
was wearing at the time of her disappearance was placed at the intersection of High Street and Williams
Road in paren in an effort to jog witnesses memories the next day investigators presented the barbers with
the completed sketch of the girl witnessed traveling with Rachel on the number-6 tram on the night of her
disappearance to their disappointment the image failed to immediately remind them of anyone they knew as Elizabeth
studied it further she informed detectives she recognized the eyes and chin but nothing else
her husband agreed these facial features looked familiar who couldn't put his finger on who they
resembled throughout the investigation into their daughter's disappearance the barbers handed police several lists
of names of people who hadn't known associations with Rachel and may be able to assist with inquiries within the
third arrest they provided was the name Caroline Reed Robertson the Robertsons met the barbers in 1992
when the two families were neighbours in Monte Albert both families had three daughters with several of the girls
being in similar age brackets enabling them and their parents to form close bonds as the oldest child of the two
families Caroline Robertson was often tasked with babysitting the barber daughters and although a five year age
gap prevented them any relatability she seemed to adopt a particular affinity towards Rachel she even photographed her
for a school project in 1997 the ties between the two families severed that year when the barbers moved 18
kilometers east to Bayswater at North the Robertsons had since divorced with Caroline adopting both her parents last
names and becoming read Robertson on March 7 1999 the sixth day of Rachel's disappearance Caroline Reed Robertson
phoned the Barbour household at 9:15 p.m. to inquire about the incident the out of the blue call from the old
acquaintance prompted the barbers to jot Caroline's name down on their list for police Caroline bore a striking
resemblance to the witness sketch of the female seen with Rachel on the evening of her disappearance
furthermore the rental flat where she lived alone was located in paren the suburb where Rachel and her companion
disembarked the number six tram when a detective from the missing persons unit contacted the barbers to
discuss caroline elizabeth recalled an incident that occurred in late 1998 rachel had mentioned receiving a phone
call from caroline who stated she knew someone that might be able to get her some paid modeling work rachel was
excited by the prospect but as far as her mother knew nothing came of it police were able to navigate privacy
legislation and obtain the details of calls made to the Barbour residence in the days leading up to Rachel's
disappearance they identified two calls of significance made to the house on February 28 1999 the day before Rachel
vanished the first was a 15-minute call at 524 p.m. and the second was at 5:45 p.m. which lasted 29 minutes
Elizabeth recalled Rachel answering both these calls during which her daughter was cheerfully animated and laughing
with the person on the other line whom her mother presumed must have been her boyfriend mani records revealed both
these calls were actually from a number listed under Caroline Reed Robertson's name while the thought that Rachel might
be with Caroline was puzzling the barbers were somewhat relieved by the prospect she might be in the company of
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case file to start developing healthier habits today investigators paid a visit to Caroline's
workplace where the 20 year old was employed as a Sales Coordinator for a telecommunications company upon their
arrival they discovered Caroline was out of the office due to illness in fact she
had called in sick several times over the past week and a half which was unusual given she rarely took sick days
and was typically a reliable and punctual employee she had first called in sick on March 1 the day Rachel went
missing returning to work the following day but leaving after just a couple of hours after complaining she still felt
unwell one of Caroline's immediate neighbors told police that in the early hours of March 2 he was awakened by the
sound of someone sobbing loudly through the walls the person would have been situated in the bathroom of Caroline's
flat with their behavior described as a furious tantrum that day upon hearing his daughter was sick Caroline's father
paid a visit to her flat to check in on her he noted that Caroline kept her bedroom door closed for the duration of
his visit throughout that day Caroline made several phone calls to a workmate requesting repayment of 320 dollars she
had previously loaned saying she needed the money to move some furniture to one of her father's holiday homes with a
removalist booked for the following morning record showed Caroline had indeed booked a removalist truck and
driver for the following day the driver was necessary as Caroline didn't have a driver's license
Caroline called in sick again on March 3 ensuring she was home when the removalist arrived to her flat she told
him she needed help moving a statue it was wrapped up in two blankets and placed inside an army bag once the bag
was in the truck Caroline directed the removalist to drive to her father's hobby farm in the
rural town of Kilmore where the bag was deposited Caroline returned to work the next day on March 4 where she discussed
the Rachel Barbara's disappearance with her colleagues telling them her former neighbor had a reputation for running
away Caroline then went to the Australian Grand Prix in Albert Park with some of her colleagues who had
scored free tickets through work in amongst the massive crowds were Michael and Elizabeth Barbra desperately looking
for Rachel when Caroline was informed by a colleague that police had come in to work seeking her in relation to the
disappearance of Rachel Barbra Caroline explained that it must have been because
she used to babysit the Barbra girl several years earlier she insisted Rachel had probably run away because she
used to do it all the time that same day Caroline visited the st. Kilda branch of
the Bank of Melbourne and applied for a personal loan for ten thousand dollars telling bank staff that was for a car
and that she needed the money urgently on March 11 and 12 Caroline again called in to work sick she left messages for
her supervisor who returned the calls the Caroline didn't answer police visited Caroline's paren flat shortly
after 9:00 a.m. on March 12 suspecting Rachel may have been hiding out there or at the very least Caroline would know
where to find her but their knocks to the front door went unanswered they returned at 5:30 p.m. but still no
one came to the door they obtained a spare key - Caroline's flat from her real estate agent that attempts to gain
access to the property failed as the door was dead locked from the inside they eventually forced their way in
where they found Caroline lying face down on her bedroom floor it appeared she had suffered a seizure she was alive
but unresponsive her thick brown wavy hair had green streaks through it and a used box of
hair dye was found nearby Caroline was rushed to hospital while police commenced the rudimentary search of her
flat looking for any signs of Rachel the flood itself was in a state of disarray
with half packed and moving boxes piled everywhere there were also remains of - partly eaten Peters along with full
bottles of alcohol police looked behind doors and inside cupboards but found no sign of the
missing 15 year old notebooks built with writing with some pages torn out along with papers and documents containing
Rachel's name and personal details were strewn about they also found a written evidence to
suggest Caroline was in the process of enacting some drastic plans which included changing her name undergoing
cosmetic enhancement surgery and moving to the northern New South Wales coastal town of Byron Bay they also cited a bag
of women's size 8 clothing too small for Caroline but a perfect fit for Rachel Caroline soon regained consciousness in
hospital where doctors confirmed she had suffered an epileptic fit as she was questioned by detectives about Rachel's
whereabouts her Frank response shot to them Caroline revealed that Rachel was dead
detectives asked whether she was sure to which Caroline responded yes I've buried
her she admitted to hiding Rachel's body in her flat for two days before taking her remains to her parents farm land in
Kilmer but claimed not to remember anything else and refused to answer any further
questions Caroline was discharged from the hospital that evening and placed into
police custody police rushed to Caroline's father's kill more farmland located 60 kilometres north of Melbourne
two neighbors confirmed they had witnessed Caroline arrived to the property in a removalist truck on March
3 where she proceeded to drag a bag towards an area of trees position two beside one of several dams on the land
amongst this small grove of trees investigators found a wooden cross embedded in the ground that bore the
name Lucy and marked the graveside of the Robertsons deceased pet dog nearby they found a second area of disturbed
earth and after sifting a thin layer of dirt they uncovered Rachel Barbara's body she was wrapped in two blankets and
had a black electric cable not at around her neck forensic investigators concluded the 15 year old had been
murdered on the night of March 1 the day she went missing the Baba's were informed of the
devastating discovery rachel's aren't made a statement to the media on behalf of the family saying elizabeth and
michael are endeavouring to bear the unbearable they are being supported by loving family and friends we have all
been devastated by the death of their beloved daughter rachel rachel's burning light has been dimmed but will burn
bright in our hearts forever she will always be young beautiful happy smiling and dancing in our hearts an extensive
search of caroline raid Robertson's flat offered investigators disturbing insight
into the complex mind of Rachael Barbara's killer caroline was struggling with untreated long-term severe
depression and a deep-rooted self-esteem issues her upbringing was marred with dysfunction conflict frequent criticism
and emotional abuse culminating in her parents divorce and epilepsy diagnosis when she was 16 years old her father
moved out and remarried and in turn caused the relationship between Caroline and her mother to deteriorate refusing
therapy as a means of support caroline slowly manifested an introverted personality that was fueled by poor
self-image and extreme self-criticism she had few close friends and to his teased and bullied as a teen Caroline
would spend hours alone in her room writing she wrote letters to her father pleading for his help telling him she
was humiliated by the teasing she endured at school about her weight quote I get teased too badly at school I get
really really embarrassed I told mum but she hasn't helped I really really really
need help in another letter Caroline Road I feel like a troubled tortured lost soul
that's been thrown into an alien environment full of angels I don't know how I have survived this long life for
me sucks she warned the explosion is just going to get bigger and bigger until there is nothing left inside me
all of the feelings and horrible things everybody says about me bottle up and I have nowhere to explode everything
Caroline had maintained a personal diary throughout her adolescence containing pages and pages of self-loathing such as
I don't belong anywhere in this crazy world because I'm ugly obese pizza face white worm massive nose and two just
plain weird she also drew unflattering self-portraits which she's surrounded in words such as ugly fat stupid worthless
weird unwanted deformed boring pathetic selfish and jealous at age 14 she compiled a self-improvement checklist
with the aim of reinventing herself titled how to change in nine weeks accompanied by things she despised about
herself she titled one diary entry the I hate Caroline Club and two listed herself as the president while signing
off her journal entries with different names in a fantasy to adopt a new persona Caroline hoped to one day become
a successful actor but was hindered by her own self hatred and doubt Caroline wrote in her diary
I was always laughed at when I shared my dream of being an actor all my life I've
been told by people that I would never be anyone or anything between late 1998 and early 1999 Caroline caught the
Barbour household requesting the birth dates of all three barber daughters stating it
was for a project she was working on this information was used by Caroline to compile a comprehensive and to organize
the dossier documenting the life and history of the barber family but it was abundantly clear she had developed an
obsessive infatuation with the oldest daughter Rachel in particular whom she regarded as a symbol of perfect purity
calling her a white picket fence police were struck by the level of detail and organisation in Caroline's
writings which included a record of conversations she and Rachel had years prior when there were neighbors she
compulsively wrote about Rachel's personality physical characteristics and a love of dance describing her as quote
a wild free spirit who lived the life on the edge a simple yet complicated girl with
enormous talent and contradictions a fiercely independent girl who was passionate determined cheeky loyal and
honest with a moody and mysterious personality a strikingly attractive teenager with a dancer's body clear pale
skin and hypnotic green eyes police found evidence throughout Caroline's flat to indicate she had initiated an
elaborate plan to assume Rachel barbers identity she had set up a Pio box to receive mail confidentially and an
undated birth certificate application had been completed in the name of Rachel barber diary entries confirmed she
intended to change her name to Jem south or south will being the maiden name of Rachel's mother Elizabeth she
constructed a completely fabricated character for her Jem Southall identity describing her as a 16 year old total
rev head a diary entry authored by Caroline directly implicated her in Rachel's murder and revealed the intricacies of
her plot to ensnare Rachel at read on the way to dance school say that she can't tell anyone that she's meeting me
as I'm not allowed to give the study results to anyone ethics highly confidential not even your boyfriend or
parents drugged Rachel toxic / mouth put body into army bags and disfigure and dumped somewhere way out no car meeting
toilet block no cameras people come into the city get birth certificate rent a box so Rachel can't be traced
check farm including bag Tuesday arrange bank loan moving van disguise hair thoroughly clean house and distinct
clean carpet on March 13 after an unproductive interview we're in their suspect exercised her right to silence
police formally charged Caroline Reed Robertson with the murder of Rachel barber during her first court appearance
on March 15 Caroline did not apply for bail or enter a plea she rocked back and forth in the dark as her lawyer told the
court all their client remembered from the evening of March 1 was inviting Rachel back to her flat into the -
ordering pizza but nothing about the teenagers death she admitted to disposing affray chills body but claimed
to have been assisted by two men whom she couldn't identify on March 24 Rachel barber was fair world by over 850
mourners at st. Hilary's Anglican Church in Kew where she had been a dedicated member of the youth group and choir
Felix Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream filled the packed church as Rachel's family friends and fellow
members of the dance community gathered to pay tribute to the talented and much-loved teen they reflected on her
major dance accomplishments which included performing on stage at Melbourne State and Princess theaters
and being a backup dancer for xeroxing her Jimmy Barnes during the service the Minister described Rachel as quote the
little butterfly that has been released into the limitless love of our Lord Rachael's grandfather uncles cousins and
boyfriend carried her coffin out of the church towards her final resting place in
Lilydale Memorial Park it contained poems and letters from her friends and family including a letter
from her younger sister Ashley Rose which read to my dearest sister Rachel I love you a lot and I will never not love
you there was not your time and do we all know that I miss you a lot and I wish you were still here but you're not
and I will have to live with that everyone loves you and we'll always miss you I will never forget you Rachel and I
hope maybe one day you will visit us I hope you will never forget me and your family I hope you didn't go through any
pain when you died love always your little sister in the weeks following their daughter's funeral Michael and
Elizabeth Bava met with senior government officials to propose that a liaison officer be attached to the
missing persons unit whose function would be to offer support to the distressed families of missing people
the barber's expressed their gratitude to the detectives of the missing persons unit who they found to be considerate
and sensitive of their ordeal they were far more critical of the dismissive and unkind response of local patrol officers
who subsequently offered the barbers the formal apology for their inaction during
the initial stages of Rachel's disappearance as a direct result of the Rachel barber
case the Victorian police force manual now contains a clause focusing on the need for officers involved in missing
persons investigations at a local level to be sensitive to the needs of the families and to keep them informed and
updated on all aspects of their investigations in late January 2000 Caroline Reed Robertson appeared before
the court for her committal hearing the prosecution argued Rachel Barbara's murder was a calculated premeditated
plan motivated by the accused infatuation and obsessive jealousy of Rachel barbers attractiveness popularity
and success in which she hoped to emulate Caroline's plan swung into action on the night of February 28 1999
when she called the Barbour household to offer Rachel $100.00 to participate in a
highly confidential psychology study it was a tempting proposition for the 15 year-old who had a long hoped to find a
means to buy a pair of expensive shoes she had her heart set on Caroline instructed Rachel to bring her wallet ID
some photos clothes ballet shoes and her beloved teddy bear the two girls met in
Richmond on the afternoon of March 1 then caught the number 6 [ __ ] together - Caroline's flat in paren there they
ordered two pizzas which Caroline intended to lace with what she described as drowsy powder after Rachel declined
Caroline's offer of alcohol she agreed to take part in a relaxation exercise where she was instructed to quote think
of pleasant and happy things Carolyne later told her court-appointed psychologist just for a moment the veil
lifted and I didn't want to do it but something said that I was in so much trouble now I had to and it was as
though the veil had dropped again after strangling Rachel with a telephone cord Caroline hid her body in her bedroom
cupboard for two days before bundling her up in a bag she then enlisted the help of a
removalist to take her victims remains to Kilmore where she buried them in a shallow grave alongside those of her
deceased pet dog the attempts to obtain money immediately following Rachel's murder indicated Caroline planned to
flee the state and assume her fake identity although Caroline admitted to helping bury Rachel's body her defense
team maintained that she was not alone in carrying out the murder alleging two other men were involved who had since
left her to take sole responsibility they voiced the concern for Caroline's health as she had been experiencing more
frequent epileptic seizures since her time in custody and taken to regular self-harm Caroline entered a plea of not
guilty and her trial was scheduled to commence later that year in early October 2000 Caroline made the
surprising decision that she would instead plead guilty to murdering Rachel barber although she continued to claim
she was experiencing amnesia about the details surrounding the killing it was a bittersweet moment for Rachel's family
and friends who would be spared from the emotional trauma of a trial Caroline's lawyer told the Victorian
Supreme Court Rachel had everything going for her and Caroline had nothing going for her
Caroline ultimately decided in the most illogical fashion that a beggar's belief
that she would take the life of a child because she could then in some way become that child or at least have the
qualities of that person as she perceived them to be her motivation we can only guess at I have certainly not
come across a more frustrating or more irrational taking of human life we can't explain it she won't let us in at the
subsequent plea hearing on October 25 the prosecution offered their explanation of the murder stating
Caroline was motivated by quote her jealousy of Rachel's attractiveness popularity and success and perhaps a
desire to emulate the success of a younger person with whom she had become infatuated a psychologist report date
out Caroline's Blakey outlook on life in which she once painted and displayed what she called a self-portrait but the
page was completely black it also revealed Caroline's internal struggle in which she both resented and adored
Rachel barber for being everything she wanted to be the psychologist stated that while Caroline was not mentally
unwell at the time of the murder she was a disturbed and dysfunctional woman with
marked disorder of personality who felt profound animosity and anger because of her own self-loathing
the psychologist concluded it is possible that she thought she could somehow magically reinvent herself in
the image of Rachel on November 29 2009 appeared for sentencing at the Victorian
Supreme Court shocking onlookers at her startling transformation since her time in custody Caroline had undergone
dramatic weight loss her skin was clear of blemishes and her once brown wavy hair with tints of green was now
straight and blonde sentencing judge justice Frank Vincent acknowledged Caroline's long history of a low
self-esteem and mental health issues but explained her calculated plans to lure Rachel with money and clothes quote
possessed subtlety and demonstrated the operation of a devious mind and manipulative abilities he quoted the
victim impact statement provided by Rachel's parents which established that although Caroline obsessively researched
the life of their daughter she never really knew were understood its complexities the statement by Michael
and Elizabeth Barbour detailed the ups and downs of Rachel's short life the difficulties in doubt she faced painting
a far more complicated picture of Rachel than Caroline ever assumed judge Vincent
remarked the simple reality is that contrary to your distorted perception there are no
perfect lives or perfect people for that matter but each of us whatever our situation or status is unique and
irreplaceable and in our society the life of each is in violet and none can be unlawfully taken Justice Vincent
stated a Caroline killed Rachel because she believed that the teen would likely have a happy and successful life the
kind the Caroline did not anticipate for herself quote at one level it is possible to feel a considerable measure
of sympathy and sadness for you but the incontrovertible and irrevocable fact is that you have killed and in so
doing have created more than one victim you appear to have been totally self-absorbed concerned only with your
own life situation feelings and desires he expressed grave concerns regarding Caroline's rehabilitation prospects
stating that her remorse for the crime seemed to driven out of self-pity rather than having any real degree of insight
into the true significance of what she had done taking her young age and guilty plea into account justice Vincent
sentenced Caroline Reed Robertson to twenty years in prison with a non-parole period of fourteen and a half years
concluding I have found the task to be extremely difficult in a situation where everyone has lost but ultimately I must
bear in mind that no one has lost as much as Rachel barber from whom you took everything
[Music] three years after her daughter's murder Elizabeth Barbour co-wrote a book about
the crime with investigative journalist Megan Norris titled perfect victim years
later Australian film director Simone North adapted the story for a film which went under the working title had a
change in nine weeks before releasing under the title in her skin North had full support from the Barbour family
during the movie production with the Barbara's viewing it as a way for Rachel to make her mark while highlighting the
inaction of police after Rachel was first reported missing Rachel barbers former boyfriend and
Manuel mani karela went on to have a successful career in music in a 2013 interview with The Herald Sun newspaper
he revealed he still thought about Rachel every day a song he wrote titled too beautiful was believed to have been
written about Rachel and Manuel karela quote some of my songs are fun and happy but most of them are deep it all depends
on how you interpret them but yes I did write songs for Rachel especially around to that time Elisabeth
barber spoke of her daughter's killer in a 2007 interview for the Aged newspaper
explaining I don't forgive the act but the person I have compassion for I thought I had forgiven her and - then as
times gone by I've gone more and more angry rather than the other way I would never want to see Caroline I'm still
angry with her [Music] five years later in mid-2012 the Victorian adult parole board
assessed Caroline's suitability for a lace in the interest of protecting the community Rachel's family and friends
campaigned for the convicted killer to remain behind bars Elizabeth told the media that Caroline had not yet been
properly rehabilitated and feared the convicted killer would come looking for her family if the parole board couldn't
be absolutely certain she was of sound mind quote I don't think the 14 and a half years is enough time I don't think
justice will ever be served for Rachel on not just thinking about my own adult children I'm thinking about other people
out there who she might develop a fixation on former inmates who served their time with Caroline claimed she
never expressed any remorse for her crime and continued to compulsively lie in prison telling others that Rachel's
boyfriend was actually her own regardless in October 2014 Caroline's parole application was
granted after 14 years imprisonment she was released from prison on January 21 2015 under strict conditions to be held
in place until 2020 elizabeth barber expressed her thoughts on the controversial decision stating she would
have preferred Caroline to have served 17 or 18 years but accepting that as far as Rachel was concerned justice would
never be done she spoke out against possible vigilantism expressing the hope that
Caroline would get on with her life far away from their family and never hurt anyone else again
Elizabeth Barbour quote I hope that when she's released she can live a quiet life
and to not cause any trouble Elizabeth Barbour took to writing letters and poems to her firstborn daughter as a way
to cope with her overwhelming loss excerpts of these heartfelt texts can be found in her book perfect victim in one
poem Elizabeth writes deep beneath the soil your body rests clothed in Rosewood surrounded by letters and poems toys and
shoes ballet shoes and spice girl shoes dressed in lace underwear and your last solo costume you lay their bones and
dried flesh even so beautiful wood your skeleton be a beautiful skeleton dressed
in seashells dancing feet resting their dancing toes buried beneath 9 feet of cold earth killed by a cold heart a cold
fish the warmth of your smile your being and serenity can never be frozen from recognition when people think of Rachel
Barbour memories remain vivid vivid as you were as you are energetic with life full on yet also shy timid of things new
I am so glad you are found in your shallow grave and brought home to those who loved their dear sweet Rachel always
remembered forever in their memory in their hearts [Music] you

Case 112: Rachel Barber

When the class finished for the day at around 5:35 pm, Rachel Barber left the Dance Factory with several other classmates and walked along Church Street towards her tram home on Bridge Road...

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Gemma Harris, Elsha McGill, and Milly Raso Production, scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn

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Brief Summary

Rachel Barber, a 15-year-old dancer, was murdered in 1999 by Caroline Reed Robertson, who had an obsession with her.

Key points

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Rachel's Passion for Dance. Rachel Barber pursued her passion for dance from a young age, leaving high school to follow her dreams.
Mysterious Job Offer. Rachel hinted at a secret job that promised her heaps of money, raising concerns.
The Public Appeal. The Barbers discuss launching a public appeal for Rachel's disappearance, but police advise against it.
Caroline's Confession. Caroline reveals to detectives that Rachel is dead and admits to burying her.
A Disturbing Discovery. Rachel's body is found, leading to devastating news for her family.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Rachel mentioned she was going to make a lot of money that evening.

6:26WatchMay 25, 2019

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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