Spencer Park murder investigation “well and truly” still under way as homicide detectives remain in Albany

The homicide squad’s lead detective in the investigation of the murder of a Spencer Park woman has vowed it is far from over, with hundreds of exhibits under forensic scrutiny and dozens of people questioned. Speaking to the Advertiser on Wednesday — 17 days after a 69-year-old woman was found dead and her 50-year-old son with critical injuries — Det-Sen. Sgt Steve Cleal said police handed back the Burville Street unit last week. “It’s no longer what we call a declared protected forensic area, which means it’s safe,” he said. “We did have the house for 11 days, which is a very long time, and very unapologetic for that. “It’s been a thorough grind inside that house in terms of the forensic investigations and what the capabilities are these days — it takes time. “We have hundreds and hundreds of exhibits that we need processed, and that puts a lot of pressure on our pathologists and chem centres and things like that.” Although little visible police presence remained at the homicide scene, Det-Sen. Sgt Cleal said a strong contingent of Perth and local detectives remained in the city and were still chasing leads as to what happened on the afternoon of February 8. “The scene is no longer held by police so there’s not evidence tape up and the whole big visual thing around the house where it happens,” he said. “That does not mean that the investigation has stopped. “Homicide squad are well and truly still present within Albany. “There’s not too many people living around Spencer Park that wouldn’t have seen myself, or one of the detectives that are in town, or one of the Albany detectives working on this with us and spoke with us.” He said officers were busy conducting “basic police work” as they awaited the results of pathology and forensics analyses and in hope the 50-year-old man, who police have identified as a suspect in his mother’s death, will come out of the induced coma he is currently in at Royal Perth Hospital. “We’ve spoken to, it would be near on 100 people now, and the CCTV canvas is ongoing,” he said. “The review of the CCTV and identifying every vehicle, every person around the area during times that are of interest to us is, again, I’ll use that term, a slow grind.” Det-Sen. Sgt Cleal said he, along with other members of the homicide squad, would remain in Albany indefinitely. “There’s no return date for me yet, and we’re very willing for that. That’s what I want, is to keep this investigation live and going,” he said. “I want people to know and rest assured and trust in police, that we have not said ‘OK, we’ve had a crack, let’s go home and move on’. That is so far from being the case.” “The resourcing that I personally have been trusted with in terms of human resources, the technology we have these days, the money that’s been thrown at this has never been an issue. “I‘ve got no doubt that we will find out what happened, but it’s not a sprint, this one’s a marathon and we’re up for it.”