The family of Susan Kay is hoping a newly-announced $1 million reward will motivate someone to speak up about her unsolved murder.
Police found the body of the 32-year-old and her friend Joanne Teterin, 37, after forcing their way into a home on Doran Street, Carrington, just before noon on Wednesday 17 May 2000.
Those responsible for their slaying remains a mystery.
However, it’s understood the pair were last known to be alive on Thursday 11 May 2000 before they were allegedly bludgeoned to death and discovered a week later.
At the time, detectives attached to Homicide and Serious Crime Agencies assisted Newcastle police with the investigation.
But, no arrests or charges have been laid over the murders.
Ms Kay’s daughter, Samantha, admitted the family had carried the “unbearable pain” of losing her mum for 26 years.
“My mother was brutally taken from us on Mother’s Day 2000,” she said.
“I was only nine years old when I was told the person I loved most in the world was never coming home.
“In an instant, my childhood was shattered.
“Every milestone, every birthday, every hard moment in life has been lived with the ache of her absence.
“While we have spent decades grieving, searching for answers and trying to rebuild what was broken, the person responsible has remained free.
“Somewhere, someone knows what happened to mum.
“After all these years, we are simply asking for the truth – so my mother can finally have justice… and our family can finally have peace.”
Ms Kay’s sister, Desiree, remained hopeful the latest $1 million bounty, announced on Monday 25 May, would reignite someone’s memory.
“Susan is so much more than a news headline,” she said.
“She’s a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt and she has grandsons and great nieces and nephews she never got to meet.
“Susan remains very much loved, often spoken about, and very much missed.
“Anyone who knows or even suspects something come forward and help us have a resolution to this aspect of our grief at last.
“We also hope the announcement makes the person responsible realise that this has not gone away, that it will never go away, and that there will never be a time they can relax.”
Following a 2003 coronial inquest, the matter was referred to the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide Unit for review and assessment.
During this time, detectives also announced a $100,000 reward for information into their deaths.
In 2025, the review was finalised and unearthed fresh forensic opportunities that have since become the focus of police inquiries.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said the increased reward reflected the ongoing determination to secure answers for the families of the two women.
“Our police do not walk away from cases like this,” she stated.
“Detectives have spent years chasing every lead, revisiting every detail and refusing to let these women become forgotten victims.
“[Today] is a clear message that this investigation is far from over.
“Someone out there knows something.
“It might be a conversation they overheard, something they saw years ago, or a detail they never thought mattered.
“But, it could be the missing piece police need.
“These families have lived with unimaginable grief and unanswered questions for far too long.
“If you have information, no matter how small, come forward now.”
Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi is confident that someone in the community has information that can help.
“It has now been 26 years since Susan Kay and Joanne Teterin were found deceased,” he said.
“These women were loved, they were valued, and they were taken from their families in the most violent way.
“Over almost three decades, detectives have continued to review material, re-test exhibits and pursue new lines of inquiry – avenues that have only become possible with the passage of time.
“We’re now hoping that same passage of time may encourage someone to come forward with information.
“We are appealing to the community to help us give their families the answers, the accountability and the closure they deserve.”
Anyone with information about the murders of Ms Kay and Ms Teterin is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
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