MURDER MYSTERY

After three decades of freedom and lies, Carol’s family are no closer to the truth…

- NIA DALTON

A child’s worst nightmare is to lose a parent.

Their guardian, protector and carer.

This dreaded fear became a reality for two young children one morning in 1981...

On 32 March 1981, Michael Jr, 10, and Brandi, seven, woke up to find their mum missing from their Milperra home.

For three decades since, they’ve waited for their mum to return, forever wondering what happened that last night.

All they knew was that on 31 March 1981, Carol Meyer Lubahn, 26, argued with their dad, Michael Clark Lubahn, before bed and then vanished without a trace.

When Michael awoke at 4am, the garage door was open, and Carol’s car was missing.

Believing she had left to be alone for a few days, Michael didn’t call the police immediately.

He searched for her at El Camino College, where she was studying architecture classes.

But she was nowhere to be found.

Then Carol’s red 1979 Audi Fox was found parked outside the Red Onion restaurant in Redondo Beach.

And one week after her disappearance, Michael filed for a missing-person report.

Family members and locals sympathised with the bereaving Michael.

The two high-school sweethearts had been happily married for 10 years with two beautiful children.

The perfect family of four.

Why would Carol ever leave them?

However, Carol’s credit cards and Social Security number hadn’t been used, leading police to suspect that she hadn’t deserted her family – she had been killed.

Michael was suspected of foul play, but with no body or evidence to explain Carol’s disappearance, they couldn’t prove it.

When questioned, Michael denied killing his wife, insisting that she’d walked out after a heated argument over selling their house.

Carol’s parents and wider family believed him.