By Calvin Gnech, Criminal Lawyer and Legal Practice Director at Gnech and Associates

09 May 2023

On this day (9 May 1986) 37 years ago, Sharron Philips parents reported her missing and Queensland Police commenced a major investigation into her disappearance and suspected murder.

Sharron was last seen at about 11pm on 8 May 1986 at a telephone box near the Wacol Railway Station. Many will remember the sign bearing Sharron’s misspelled name (Sharon) which was located on the Ipswich Motorway at Wacol until 2007. A correctly spelt replacement was put in place after a motorway upgrade was completed.

Sharron’s vehicle, a Datsun Bluebird ran out of fuel on the Ipswich motorway that night and her belongings were found dumped in a nearby drain on 15 May by police.

Telephone records reveal Sharron phoned her boyfriend, Martin Balazs at 11:18pm and asked him to pick her up from the nearby Shell garage. She called again at 12:03am but Mr Balazs was already on his way.

In 1988 a Coronial Inquest was held without a suspect being charged.

In 2017 police named a person of interest they believed is responsible for the crime without charges being laid because the person of interest had died in 2002.

Police have unsuccessfully conducted searches for Sharron’s remains as recently as 2016.

The case remains unsolved. A $250 000 reward, first offered in 2004, remains on offer from the Queensland Government for information which leads to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the Sharron’s disappearance and suspected murder.