A judge said he believed a man had "some involvement" in her death. He was still found not guilty. More than three decades later, Karen Williams has never been found, and no one has ever been convicted.
The Last Night
On August 3, 1990, 16-year-old Karen Williams spent the evening with friends at the Opal Inn in Coober Pedy, South Australia, before moving to a private party at nearby Sergio's Restaurant in the early hours of August 4. Described by prosecutors as polite, well-liked, and well-groomed, she was a regular at the town's small handful of social spots.
That night, Nikola Novakovich, then 18 and working at a local bakery, offered Karen and three friends a lift home in his stepmother's orange Datsun. When he dropped the others off, Karen chose to stay in the car, asking to be taken to her aunt's house nearby instead. That was the last time her friends saw her.
A short time later, roadhouse employee Claudette Noble saw a car pull into the Caltex service station just before sunrise. Karen was in the passenger seat; Novakovich was driving. He filled up the car and, sometime later, drove off — with Karen still in the vehicle. Noble watched the car's headlights turn onto the Stuart Highway toward Port Augusta. About an hour later, she saw Novakovich's car again, heading away from the highway. Karen was no longer visible inside.
She has never been seen since.
An Alleged Motive
Years later, prosecutors alleged a motive: that Karen had witnessed Novakovich and an associate, Aleksander Radosavljevic, commit an armed robbery of a local opal dealer for around $1,000 shortly before she disappeared, and that Novakovich killed her to stop her from exposing it. Radosavljevic reportedly told police he helped dispose of Karen's body down a disused mine shaft — one of many that dot the Coober Pedy landscape and have been repeatedly searched over the decades without success.
Arrest and Trial
Novakovich was arrested in November 2013 following a renewed investigation that included excavation of several mine shafts. He was charged with murder and stood trial before Justice Tim Stanley in South Australia's Supreme Court, heard without a jury, spanning intermittent sessions over nearly a year.
Prosecutor Jim Pearce KC argued it was implausible Karen had simply left town on her own, pointing to the total absence of any bank activity, government contact, or communication with friends or family in the more than three decades since. Taped conversations between Novakovich and Radosavljevic were presented as evidence the prosecution argued pointed to guilt.
The Verdict
On August 18, 2016, Justice Stanley delivered his verdict: not guilty of murder, not guilty of manslaughter. He said he was prepared to infer from the evidence that Novakovich had "some involvement" in Karen's death and the disposal of her body — but found much of the prosecution's evidence unreliable or inconsistent, and said he could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Novakovich had killed her.
Novakovich's lawyer told reporters outside court his client had been “exonerated.” Karen's brother, Kym Williams, spoke for the family's disappointment: “20-odd years we've been waiting and that was a 10-second verdict, just like that, so how do you guys think we feel.”
Could He Be Tried Again?
Under South Australia's modern double jeopardy laws, a person can be retried for the same offense if new, “fresh and compelling” evidence emerges. As of the most recent public updates, no new charges have been filed.
Where the Case Stands Now
Karen Williams's body has never been recovered. A reward of up to $1 million remains on offer for information leading to the recovery of her remains or a conviction in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers South Australia at 1800 333 000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was anyone ever convicted of Karen Williams's murder?
No. Nikola Novakovich was tried in 2016 and acquitted of both murder and manslaughter.
Did the judge believe Novakovich was involved?
The judge said he believed there was “some involvement” in Karen's death and the disposal of her body, but ruled the evidence didn't meet the criminal standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt required for a conviction.
Has Karen Williams's body ever been found?
No, despite extensive searches of mine shafts around Coober Pedy over more than three decades.
Could Novakovich be tried again?
Under current double jeopardy laws, a retrial would require new, “fresh and compelling” evidence. No such retrial has occurred as of the most recent reporting.