Young Albany mother Peta Weber vanished 25 years ago while on an early morning fishing trip with her husband.
Her partner, Richard Weber, had said the couple dropped their children, aged two and seven, at his parents’ house around 5.30pm.
The Gap, south-west of Albany, has a sheer, rocky coastline and is subject to strong winds and high seas. Credit: Getty Images / Crime Stoppers
Before dawn the following morning – June 21, 1997 – they headed to The Gap, south-west of Albany.
The popular tourist attraction is a coastal area strewn with cliffs. A public viewing platform erected above the ocean is often subject to windy conditions and high seas.
According to Richard, the pair were fishing around 6.45am when 25-year-old Peta said she needed the toilet and walked away.
He told police he never saw her again, and around 7.30am, he waved down a car on a main road to drive him to where he could get mobile reception to contact police and report his wife missing.
An extensive three-week land and sea search failed to locate Peta. Her disappearance was treated as a missing person’s case until 2017, when police declared it was being treated as a potential homicide.
No one has ever been charged.
Richard died by suicide in 2000 while he was being covertly followed by police.
On Tuesday, a coronial inquest was launched to determine whether Peta was alive, and if not, what could have caused her death.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Jon Tiller, revealed details about the case never before publicly released, including how it appeared Richard had dropped the children to his parents’ house alone, and that no one other than Richard reported seeing Peta after this drop-off.
“The police investigation was referred from Albany to the homicide squad in 1998 for review, which identified Richard as a significant person of interest,” he said.
“From a very early stage in the police investigation into Peta’s disappearance, suspicion was centred on Richard. He was believed to have a motive, means and opportunity.
“Richard was interviewed several times and consistently denied any involvement in Peta’s disappearance, maintaining that he last saw her walking away at the fishing spot.”
Peta’s disappearance occurred as the couple’s marriage was deteriorating and she told a friend the day before that she planned to leave her husband and move in with the friend.
“In early 1996, Peta confided in close friends about incidents where Richard was abusive toward herself and John [her son from a previous marriage],” he said.
“By late 1996 ... some believed Peta was afraid of Richard. There is evidence he was very controlling of Peta and limited her access to finances, friends and the outside world.”
Tiller said Peta and Richard married in 1993 and had a daughter, Abigail, together in 1995.
“Peta stayed at home caring for both John and Abigail while Richard worked. Peta had a small circle of close friends and was known as a kind, caring and beautiful person,” he said.
“Richard would regularly go fishing off the coast and Peta would sometimes join him, although ordinarily only when her son John was also going.
“She knew how to fish but had told friends she didn’t enjoy the pastime and would sometimes remain in the car while Richard fished.”
Peter’s suicide occurred three years after Peta’s disappearance, after the breakdown of a new relationship.
The inquest will hear evidence from the police officer who undertook the initial investigation, and from the one who conducted the 2015 review .
Support is available from Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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