In 1991, a devastating case in Parafield Gardens, South Australia, left an entire family gone and one man missing without a trace.
On the night of January 5, 1991, 31-year-old Meredith Pearce spoke with her sister around 9:00 p.m., with nothing appearing out of the ordinary. Her husband, Stuart Pearce, left later for his overnight shift at a petrol station, which ran from midnight until 6:50 a.m.
At 7:10 a.m. the following morning, emergency services responded to a house fire at the family’s home on Jackson Street. Inside, they discovered Meredith and three of her children, Adam, 11, Travis, 9, and Kerry, 2.
Investigators determined all four had lost their lives before the fire began. Meredith had been restrained and suffered fatal injuries, while the children were found in separate locations within the home.
A fourth child, Matthew, had not been present that night, having stayed with a friend.
Authorities later found that gas bottles had been placed around the house the night before in an apparent attempt to cause an explosion, which failed. Investigators believe petrol was later used to ignite the fire.
Stuart Pearce was not found at the scene. His vehicle was later discovered abandoned at a shopping center, with evidence linking it back to the crime.
A search of the property uncovered additional items of interest, including a concealed growing operation and a missing firearm.
In September 1992, a warrant was issued for Stuart Pearce’s arrest, and an international notice was later circulated. Despite extensive efforts, he has never been located.
A reward of $1,000,000 remains in place for information leading to a conviction.
More than three decades later, the case remains unsolved, with one man still missing and critical questions left unanswered.
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