A date for the opera turned into the discovery of one of Australia's most notorious unsolved crimes.
Margaret Tapp, 35, and her 9-year-old daughter Seana were murdered in their Ferntree Gully home near Melbourne, Australia, on the night of August 6-7, 1984. More than 40 years later, no one has ever been charged.
Discovery
Jim Rollins arrived at the Tapp home on the evening of August 8 to take Margaret to the opera. Getting no answer and finding the house dark, he let himself in through an unlocked back door and found Margaret in her bed with bruising around her neck. Realizing Seana might also be home, he went to her room and found her in the same condition. Both had been strangled with a length of rope that was never recovered, and both appeared to have been deliberately arranged in their beds afterward. Seana had been sexually assaulted before she was killed.
Little to Go On
Investigators found no sign of forced entry and no usable fingerprints. Shoe impressions from a pair of Dunlop Volleys, an extremely common style at the time, were found on the floor but never matched to anyone. A neighbor reported hearing a muffled cry around 11 p.m. the night before the bodies were found, and their dog barking around midnight, possibly as the killer left the property. Acquaintances also reported a red Ford utility vehicle parked near the home shortly before the murders; its owner was never identified.
A Complicated Personal Life
Margaret, a nurse studying law part-time, had an active social life and had previously been in a long-term relationship with a married doctor who purchased the home for her. After his death, Margaret fought his widow for ownership of the property and ultimately bought out her share. Investigators considered whether a jealous spouse, a rejected suitor, or a troubled young neighbor who did yard work for the family might have been involved, though none of these theories were ever substantiated, and Seana's sexual assault pointed investigators toward a more specifically motivated offender.
A DNA Match That Fell Apart
Semen recovered from Seana's clothing provided a DNA sample, though testing technology capable of using it wasn't available until decades later. In 2008, investigators announced a match to a Queensland man, Russell John Gesah. Two weeks later, the case against him collapsed after it was revealed the DNA sample had been contaminated in the lab; a second test failed to confirm the match. The revelation forced Victoria Police to review thousands of other cases that may have been affected by similar errors, and cast renewed doubt over whether other suspects previously cleared through DNA testing had actually been correctly excluded.
Reopened, Still Unsolved
In 2015, the case was reopened as part of a cold case review involving veteran homicide investigator Ron Iddles. In 2017, Victoria Police announced a reward of up to $1,000,000 for information leading to a conviction. As of the most recent reporting, the case remains unsolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was anyone ever charged in the Tapp murders?
No. A 2008 DNA match to a suspect collapsed after contamination was discovered in the lab, and no one has been charged since.
Is there still a reward for information?
Yes, up to $1,000,000, offered by Victoria Police since 2017.
Is the case still being investigated?
Yes. It was formally reopened as a cold case review in 2015 and remains open.