Police Say They're Confident Following Arrest For Lyn Dawson's Murder
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ROLLING COVERAGE:
Chris Dawson will face Parramatta Court tomorrow.
The Dawson family has released a statement regarding today's arrest.
NSW Police have addressed the media, following news of an arrest made in relation to the disappearance of Sydney mother Lyn Dawson in 1982.
A 70-year-old man, Lyn's former husband Chris Dawson, was arrested in the Gold Coast this morning, with the man now in custody and awaiting extradition to NSW.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said that the Homicide Squad's Unsolved Homicide Unit established Strike Force Scriven in 2015 to re-investigate the circumstances of Lyn Dawson's disappearance from her Northern Beaches home and possible homicide.
Detectives arrested the 70-year-old man at Biggera Waters on the Gold Coast just before 8am today.
"That warrant was executed this morning and the 70-year-old man was arrested," NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said.
The Commissioner said that additional evidence included statements from witnesses that helped tie the pieces together, with two new statements.
It has been confirmed that Lyn's body has not been located.
"We won't give up on trying to identify the whereabouts of Lynette Dawson," Commissioner Fuller said.
It was noted that the 70-year-old man came quietly with police and was taken to a local watchhouse.
He is currently waiting to go before the court to face extradition to Sydney.
A dig was undertaken at Lyn's former Bayview home in September this year.
Police today confirmed that the dig didn't provide any additional information.
"We would dearly have liked to find the body of Lynette, not just for the (legal) brief but to return her to her family.
"We hope to have him (70-year-old man) back in NSW in the coming days."
Police said that additional statements were the by-product of the media and the work that the media has done, since the brief was submitted in April.
There are some theories in terms of finding her body, and they haven't given up hope.
Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Scott Cook said that there have been murder convictions without the body being found before.
"There have been additional statements taken from other witnesses," Det Spt Cook said.
The two additional statements are not crucial but are corroborative.
"Lynettes family are relived but are concerned about their privacy and ask that it is respected," he said.
On the topic of the 70-year-old's arrest this morning, Det Spt Cook had the following to say:
"I'm told that he was calm and a little bit taken aback."
Chris Dawson will face Parramatta Court tomorrow.
The Dawson family has released a statement regarding today's arrest.
