Missing mother-of-six Darlene Avis Geertsema was a victim of homicide and died from injuries inflicted by her partner John Shepherd on October 23, 1978, Coroner Simon Cooper has found.
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Mr Cooper handed down the findings from a three-day inquest held last year into Ms Geertsema's disappearance.
He found that Mr Shepherd was the only person with the motive and means to commit homicide on the night she disappeared from a unit in Best Street, Devonport.
"I am satisfied that Ms Geertsema died as a result of injuries inflicted upon her by John Shepherd," he said.
Mr Cooper said that homicide may or may not be murder.
"Thus if at some stage in the future charges were brought against anyone arising out of Ms Geertsema's death then those charges would involve a number of issues [such as intention and] which are not part of my function.
A spokesperson for Tasmania Police said: Tasmania Police is aware of the findings handed down by the Coroner today in relation to the death of Darlene Geertsema.
"The findings will be reviewed," the spokesperson said.
Some of her family, and supporters, were at the court and said it was "the best outcome" they could have hoped for.
Ms Geertsema disappeared after a confrontation at the Best Street unit. She had told her children during the afternoon that they were going to Queensland to see siblings.
A daughter Kathryn Gray told the inquest that she heard arguing, loud bangs and then silence. She said she saw a car drive away from the units.
Ms Geertsema's Red Holden Sunbird was later found near the Devonport Oval.
"Two days later she was reported missing by John Shepherd," he said
Mr Cooper said his homicide finding included evidence that Mr Shepherd had a proven history of frequent violence against intimate partners before, during and after his relationship with Ms Geertsema.
He said that there was also violence against his former wife Wendy Shepherd and his present wife Marlene and a trait of jealousy.
"I did not consider Mr Shepherd to be a witness of the truth," he said.
"I find that Ms Geertsema and Mr Shepherd fought or quarrelled over access to Ryan [Mr Shepherd's biological son] during the course of their relationship.
Mr Cooper said he was satisfied that he was the last adult to see Ms Geertsema alive and that on the night they argued and "got pretty loud" as Mr Shepherd said.
"By his own admission the couple fought," he said.
Mr Shepherd told the inquest that Ms Geertsema told him she was going to a friend's place at Parkham and would be back at midnight.
He said that Mr Shepherd drank on the night increasing his propensity to inflict violence on intimate partners.
"I am satisfied Mr Shepherd had access to a motor vehicle [HQ Holden and the Sunbird] which would have enabled him to move either an unconscious Ms Geertsema or her body from the accommodation.
"I am satisfied that Mr Shepherd was working as a bushman near Deloraine as at October 23.
It follows that he had access to bushland which would have enabled easy disposal of a body."
Mr Cooper said Mr Shepherd's behaviour after October 23 had differing versions.
"He said because he had not heard from Ms Geertsema he drove to Ms Porter's house at Parkham where he spoke to Ms Porter who told him she had not seen her [Darlene] that night," he said.
"Ms Porter's evidence was that nothing of the sort occurred."
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Mr Cooper said that Mr Shepherd gave evidence that he drove around various places at Westbury on October 24 looking for the red Sunbird.
"When interviewed by police in 2015 he gave an account more or less the same although included some additional details in relation to places he had visited," he said.
Further detail at the inquest included a claim he visited Ms Geertsema's father in Launceston.
"None of this additional detail can be verified of course [because] Mr Styles has been dead for many years."
Mr Cooper said that her firm plans for a future without Mr Shepherd was a motive.
"She was described by Kathryn as nervous on the night she disappeared," he said. Mr Shepherd was described as nervous about something.
"It seems likely that she apprised Mr Shepherd of those plans or he had become aware of them," he said.
Mr Cooper said Mr Shepherd's jealousy and possessive behaviour had included the infliction of actual injury.
He said could not determine whether she had died at the Best Street unit or somewhere later.
"I cannot determine the pathological cause of her death nor what became of her body," he said.
Mr Cooper remarked that much had changed since 1978 in the legal approach to violence against women and also that much had changed in relation to missing persons investigations.
He said it was inconceivable that a missing person would be investigated in the same way now as it was in 1978.
Mr Cooper said he did not mean it as a criticism of police, but merely that the investigation was completely consistent practices and procedures of the time.
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Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
