Gerard Ross: Police say solving schoolboy’s ‘senseless’ murder a priority as family mark 28-year anniversary

Police insist solving the “senseless murder” of schoolboy Gerard Ross remains a priority as his family mark 28 years since he was snatched from a Rockingham street. In what has now become WA’s highest-profile cold case homicide investigation, the 11-year-old boy from Newman was murdered after vanishing on October 14, 1997, during a family holiday. He had left his accommodation with his brother, who was on roller blades and went ahead of him after the pair agreed to meet at a comic store. In a statement on the anniversary of his disappearance on Tuesday, a WA Police spokeswoman said the investigation “into the senseless murder of Gerard Ross remains a priority for the WA Police Force”. “Detectives and forensic officers from cold case Investigations remain determined to solve this horrific crime,” she said. “This crime horrified the Western Australian community and police believe there is someone out there who knows what happened to Gerard, and who was responsible for his death.” Two weeks after Gerard disappeared, his body was found in the Karnup pine plantation, off Stakehill Road, in Baldivis. In January, police revealed a new tip had been left by a mystery person who submitted information online through Crime Stoppers about the boy’s homicide. Investigators wanted to speak with that person to clarify some of the information. However, police have never revealed what that information was — or if they got in contact with them. A $1 million reward is on offer for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Gerard’s murder. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online. Reports can remain anonymous.