Keren Rowland

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Acton Police Department (MA)

Offense Location:

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Summary:

Keren Ellen Rowland, 20 years old and five months pregnant, disappeared on February 26, 1971 while driving to a party and her remains were found in the Fairbairn Pine Plantation nearly three months later on May 13, 1971. A coronial inquest ruled she had died by misadventure with no clear cause of death, though a family review in 2017 led to the devastating revelation that Keren had injuries consistent with strangulation.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

On February 26, 1971, the night of the Royal Canberra Show, Ms Rowland had been driving to a party in the suburb of Deakin but never arrived. Keren had travelled to Civic to pick up her sister and go to a party in Deakin, however it was decided that her sister would get a lift with her fiancé and Keren would follow in her own car. Keren never arrived at the party and was reported missing by family members about midnight. Keren's vehicle, a white Mini Morris 850 sedan, was later located on Parkes Way, Campbell with no petrol in the tank. Her remains were discovered at the Air Disaster Memorial nearly three months later on 13 May 1971. Keren's body was found face up, with her legs straight out and her arms encircling her head. Her clothing had been pulled down, indicating sexual assault, and a beer bottle was nearby on the ground. Her remains were discovered with her arms above her head, suggesting that she had been dragged and fractures that indicated strangulation. Keren was covered with pine tree branches.

Additional Details:

Ms Rowland, a former dental nurse, was five months pregnant when she disappeared. Several persons of interest were identified at the time but no charges were ever laid. Former NSW Detective Clive Small believed Ivan Milat could have been responsible for the murder. Milat was aged 26 at the time of Rowland's murder and worked at the Department of Main Roads, which meant he frequently drove between Liverpool and Canberra. Milat is also believed to have driven a gold-coloured Ford Fairmont similar to one seen by eyewitnesses chasing a woman matching Rowland's description in Canberra on the night of her disappearance. After decades without progress, family members began their own review of the case in 2017 leading to the revelation that Keren had injuries consistent with strangulation. Mr Rowland believes police bungled opportunities to tie Milat to Keren's death decades before he was convicted of seven backpacker murders in the 1990s. A NSW parliamentary inquiry has heard allegations of missing files, lost exhibits and a long-running lack of information from investigators linked to the case. ACT police have been hamstrung in comprehensively reviewing the case because all other key exhibits from the case - Ms Rowland's clothing, handbag and all its contents - were not carefully preserved for future review. Police have returned to the Fairbairn pine plantation to search for a silver or gold-coloured bracelet with 'Lynette' engraved on it that was never recovered. Detective Senior Constable Emma Beere said the Unsolved Homicide Team had been reviewing old case files and had been prompted to return to the crime scene after a person had come forward recently with fresh information.

Case Last Updated:

Oct 22, 2026