Victoria Police have announced a reward of up to $1 million as part of a renewed appeal for information into the 1981 murder of Richmond woman Haroula Kipouridou.
Ms Kipouridou, 25, was last seen alive in the early hours of Friday, 3 July 1981. At the time, she was working as a singer at a hotel on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy.
Police established that after finishing work that night, she was driven home to her Elizabeth Street address by two associates. The pair dropped her in front of the housing tower at approximately 2am and reported seeing nothing unusual.
Around 30 minutes later, Ms Kipouridou’s body was discovered on the floor of a lift inside the building.
Detectives said she had been severely physically assaulted and sexually assaulted during the attack.
The investigation, led by the Homicide Squad, involved speaking to a large number of people known to Ms Kipouridou or living in the vicinity at the time. While several individuals were investigated as potential suspects, police were unable to determine who was responsible.
Media reports in the early 1980s referred to a specific suspect being investigated, however authorities have confirmed there has never been sufficient evidence to conclusively attribute responsibility to any individual.
No one has ever been charged over Ms Kipouridou’s death. In 1983, a coroner returned an open finding.
Victoria Police have now announced a reward of up to $1 million, payable at the discretion of the Chief Commissioner of Police, for information leading to the apprehension and subsequent conviction of the person or persons responsible.
Detectives continue to urge anyone with information – no matter how small – to come forward.
