Doreen Lambert went missing from Bald Hills on 17 October 1964. The 12 year old school girl from Margate had organised to meet up with friends at Bald Hills to go swimming. She caught a bus at 8.30am and arrived at Bald Hill at 10.10am. She was late and her friends left without her, thinking she was not coming.

Doreen was seen near the Bald Hills Hotel at 12.00md where she asked staff at a garage if they knew the time the next bus would be leaving for Margate. That was the last sighting of her. 

Her mother was not worried when she did not arrive home, thinking that she had stayed with one of her friends over night. When she did not arrive home the next day, her mother contacted the police and reported her missing. Despite an intensive search and police investigation, no leads were forthcoming as to her fate.

Almost two years later, her body was discovered in a shallow grave by a timber cutter in a forest just off Anthill Road, just north of Petrie, about 15 kms from where she was abducted. Doreen was identified by jewellery and clothing she was wearing. She was shot in the back of the head with an exit wound below he right eye, by a .22 cal firearm. Together with other police, an extensive search was conducted of the area. Nothing was located of evidentiary value. Investigating police were left facing an uphill battle to bring the offender to justice.

Following the discovery of Doreen's body, police put in renewed efforts to catch the killer. A further check was made of known child sex offenders who lived in the corridor between Bald Hills and Petrie. These people were interviewed, with very little success, although one person created interest, Melvin Mott. He had escaped from prison 15 October 1964 just before the abduction, serving time for child sex offences. He was captured after two days on the run. 

Mott could be placed in the Bald Hills area on 17 October 1964, the day Doreen  disappeared by someone who loaned him a car. When questioned in 1964, he denied all knowledge of the crime.

Mott was always a suspect and was again questioned about the murder after discovery of the body.

The government had posted a $3000 reward for information leading to a conviction after the location of the body.

Investigators realised that the only way to solve the murder was through prisoner informants. 

After approval was given by the Prison Department, police approached a prisoner who was very friendly with Mott to assist, which he did, together with a couple of other prisoners. Mott had admitted to them details of the crime. That he did own a .22 cal rifle and where he had buried the body, showing the site with a hand drawn map. The rifle was never recovered.

When he was again questioned by police regarding his confessions, he dismissed them as jail house talk. Following submission of all the evidence to the DPP, Mott was charged in December 1967 with murder which was a vigorously defended trial with the prison witnesses standing up to the vigours of the cross examinations.

Mott was convicted of abduction, rape and wilful murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The judge recommended that he never be released. The reward money was distributed amongst four prisoners. There was no physical or eyewitness evidence to link him to the murder. He was solely convicted on his jail house confessions to other prisoners 

Mott died in prison in 2014 aged 71. (He spent over 45 years in prison)

Photos below were published in Courier Mail (3).

 Doreen Lambert.

Me at grave site.

Talking with Det Insp Vince McCarthy.

Also roadster driven by Mott on the day of the abduction, which was recognised as being in vicinity of abduction.