Keren Rowland, gravid with the anticipation of impending motherhood, mysteriously vanished on the eve of February 26, 1971. Almost three months elapsed before the discovery of the 20-year-old's body, callously discarded in a pine plantation near the Air Disaster Memorial in Canberra on May 13th.
It is surmised by the authorities that Keren was transported to her final resting site, given that her belongings were found in a linear arrangement leading towards her remains. Notably, her arms remained elevated above her head when her body was uncovered. Although an official cause of death remains undetermined, fractures on Keren's hyoid bone are consistent with strangulation, as stated by the ACT Police.
The disturbed state of her clothing suggests possible sexual interference. Keren had been trailing her sister's vehicle en route to a gathering when her white Mini Morris 850 disappeared from sight. A day later, the abandoned vehicle was located on Parkes Way in Campbell, completely out of fuel. Even after fifty years, the unanswered questions persist.
Her brother, Mr. Rowland, vividly remembers his older sister's spirited personality, while the tragedy continues to haunt the family. "She was trusting, perhaps excessively so," he lamented. According to witnesses, a person in a car approached Keren on Parkes Way in Campbell after her vehicle ran out of petrol. However, it is believed she wouldn't have succumbed without a struggle.
Mr. Rowland asserts that the events of that night were too erratic to have been premeditated. He contends that his sister's demise was at the hands of an unknown assailant. "The circumstances strongly suggest this wasn't a premeditated act," he emphasized. "Keren altered her plans twice that night. She was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The disappearance and death of Keren Rowland has identified thirty individuals of interest, as confirmed by the ACT Police. Among these is the name of Ivan Milat, infamously known as the backpacker killer. Milat was convicted of the murder and torture of seven young travelers between 1989 and 1992 in the Belanglo Forest in NSW. None of his victims were buried but rather concealed with branches and leaves.
Amanda Howard, a criminologist, shares personal correspondence with Milat and strongly believes there are more unidentified victims. She speculates the possibility of Milat's involvement in Keren's case, given his modus operandi of picking up hitchhikers. Howard insists that the absence of witnesses and assistance at the scene possibly led to a confrontation, escalating into the final act of strangulation, especially given Keren's vulnerable state due to her pregnancy.
While Milat's potential connection to Keren's demise remains under scrutiny, Detective Boorman asserts that there's insufficient evidence linking him to the crime. Both Ms. Howard and Mr. Rowland caution against rushing to conclusions without concrete proof, highlighting the emotional toll on their family and the lingering quest for truth, emphasizing the plight of not only losing Keren but also the unborn child.
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