Inquest into the Suspected Death of Sydney Ronald Guest
Delivered on : 22 October 2024
Delivered at : Perth
Finding of : Deputy State Coroner Linton
Recommendations :N/A
Orders/Rules : N/A
Suppression Order : N/A
Summary : Sydney Ronald Guest, who was generally known as Ron by his family, was last known to be alive sometime in the late 1960’s in Western Australia. Ron was living with his brother Alf and Alf’s family at that time. Alf owned a business that used a number of trucks. A particular truck that Ron often drove was found abandoned at a service station some time between 1967 and 1970, although the exact date and location is unknown. Alf went to the service station to collect the truck and found some personal items in the truck that caused him to become concerned about Ron’s welfare. Alf apparently tried to report his brother’s disappearance to the local police at the time, but it is suggested he was told that since Ron didn’t have a criminal record, there was no basis for making a report. Alf’s oldest daughter, Christine, confirmed with police that he did not attend her wedding in 1970, so by then the family are sure he had disappeared.
Over the years, Alf and other family members made various efforts to try to locate Ron. There were suggestions he bought a train ticket to the eastern states, but none of their family members based over there every had contact with him. Ron did not attend the funeral of his mother, nor did he attend the funerals of two nephews that were well publicised. Family members strongly believe he would have come to the funerals, or at least contacted family members, if he was alive.
No formal missing person report was made until 2022, when Ron’s sister-in-law, Helena Guest, became aware that police were trying to identify some human remains that had been found in Chidlow. She thought it was possible they were Ron’s. Detectives spoke to Helena and her daughters. The information they provided made it clear the remains found in Chidlow were not Ron, but there was sufficient information for the police to commence a new missing person investigation into Ron’s disappearance.
Many of Ron’s family members were already deceased at the time the investigation commenced, and Helena Guest has also since passed away. However, police already had the information provided by Helena, and more information was provided by Alf’s daughter Christine and other family members to a limited extent. Standard proof of life checks performed across Australia have not found any trace of Ron since the time of his disappearance. He would be 97 years old by now, but there is no record of him ever accessing Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Centrelink or having any contact with any other government agency such as Department of Transport or Police.
At the time of the inquest, it was the opinion of the investigating police and Mr Guest’s surviving family that Mr Guest was deceased, although his remains had not been recovered. The Coroner was satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that Sydney Ronald Guest is deceased. The Coroner was unable to determine how Mr Guest died and made an Open Finding as to the manner of Mr Guest’s death.
Catch Words : Missing Person : Open Finding
Last updated: 17 December 2024