Lead investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin, has marked the third anniversary of William’s disappearance by outlining some of the ongoing work and the current status of the investigation, NSW Police say.
Shortly before 10.30am on Friday 12 September 2014, William, then aged three, was playing in the yard of his grandmother’s home on Benaroon Drive, Kendall, when he disappeared.
Within a few short hours, hundreds of local residents and emergency service workers combined to search the rural township, looking in forests, creeks and paddocks for the boy.
As a result, police formed the view that William’s disappearance was as a result of human intervention.
Detectives and analysts from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad established Strike Force Rosann to investigate the circumstances surrounding William’s disappearance.
Strike Force Rosann is also assisted by investigators from across NSW, making it one of the largest investigations ever undertaken by the NSW Police Force.
Last year, the NSW Government announced a $1 million reward for information that leads to the recovery of William Tyrrell, which is still on offer.
Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin said Strike Force Rosann investigators remain highly motivated to provide answers to William’s family.
"Our team is mindful of the unresolved grief William’s family is feeling at the moment, and as investigators we are seeking to provide answers above all else," Det Ch Insp Jubelin said.
"The last 12 months hasn’t been any easier than previous years – we are frustrated that after three years we are not where we want to be – but we are still determined to find out what happened to young William.
"During this time, we have substantially reduced our list of potential persons of interest, however, this is a dynamic investigation, just as we will exhaust a line of inquiry, we will add new persons of interest when they come into our sights.
"We have spoken to hundreds of people in the past year, and we make no apologies for taking a hard-line approach to definitively rule out persons of interest and potential witnesses."
As inquiries continue, Det Ch Insp Jubelin reminded the community they are seeking specific information about William’s disappearance and called for common sense.
"As part of our ongoing commitment to the investigation, we will ensure every report is followed-up, and three years on, we don’t want to chase up reports of three-year-olds running around dressed as Spiderman," Det Ch Insp Jubelin said.
"We thank the community for their continued support, but in an investigation of this magnitude, all our investigative efforts need to go into pursuing information that leads us to William.
"What we really want is to hear from those who know what happened in that yard on 12 September 2014.
"We are interested in speaking to people who suspect someone they know may have information specifically related to his disappearance.
"And I’ll remind the public that NSW Police Force does not seek help from psychics, mediums and clairvoyants," Det Ch Insp Jubelin said.
Police are urging anyone with information about the disappearance of William Tyrrell to call Crime Stoppers.
