Book, glasses and backpack provide few clues about identity of woman found on NSW beach
A paperback novel, reading glasses and backpack are among objects that police have linked to the remains of a woman found on a New South Wales beach a month ago.
Police on Tuesday renewed calls for information after the discovery of the human remains on Jetty beach in Coffs Harbour on the state’s mid-north coast on the morning of 18 June.
Supt Joanne Schultz said police had made the grim discovery after dune care volunteers found bones and several personal items while working in the area.
Forensic analysis of the remains, which were buried, led police to believe the bones belonged to a woman in her 50s and they had been on the beach since between 2021 and 2023.
While forensic testing was continuing, the identity of the woman and how she died remained unknown.
Police said they believed the woman had died sometime between 2021 and 2023.
Schultz said police had a DNA profile of the woman that they hoped would help uncover her identity.
Her remains were dressed in a Bras N Things-branded singlet top and blue denim jeans.
A police search of the area where her body was found had unearthed items of interest including silver earrings, hair clips, a Target-branded blue and white striped button-up shirt, a Harvey World Travel backpack, a Laura Jones wallet, reading glasses and a paperback copy of the novel The Butterfly Summer.
There were no matches between the remains and missing-person reports from the area.
NSW police were working with other states to ascertain whether the woman was registered as a missing person elsewhere, Shultz said. She appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
