ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
Subscribe
There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis
Watch 0:37

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis

{headline}

{headline}

JonBenet Ramsey suspect speaks out

JonBenet Ramsey suspect speaks out

Face to face with Australia's MOST NOTORIOUS armed robbers

Face to face with Australia's MOST NOTORIOUS armed robbers

She forgave her mum's killer then he murdered her too!

She forgave her mum's killer then he murdered her too!

Killer hubby kept his first wife in the garage

Killer hubby kept his first wife in the garage

{headline}

{headline}

Could this CAR SOLVE my sister’s MURDER?

Could this CAR SOLVE my sister’s MURDER?

Strangled over a secret: Killer dumped his pregnant wife's body in the boot

Strangled over a secret: Killer dumped his pregnant wife's body in the boot

30-year cold case: How a Coke can caught a killer

30-year cold case: How a Coke can caught a killer

{headline}

{headline}

Serial killer Ted Bundy's stepdaughter speaks out

Serial killer Ted Bundy's stepdaughter speaks out

Former NSW teacher John Edwards sentenced over murder of estranged wife

Former NSW teacher John Edwards sentenced over murder of estranged wife

Evil step-mum: she kept my dad’s head in her handbag

Evil step-mum: she kept my dad’s head in her handbag

32-year cold case – The killer who was caught by his daughter’s DNA

32-year cold case – The killer who was caught by his daughter’s DNA

Wife killer – caught by a lip reader

Wife killer – caught by a lip reader

TRUE CRIME - Who murdered Billie-Joe?

TRUE CRIME - Who murdered Billie-Joe?

Man found guilty of murdering his pregnant wife for the SECOND time

Man found guilty of murdering his pregnant wife for the SECOND time

  1. Home
  2. News

Aussie cold case: Who left Nina to die on her verandah?

Alice Mitchell is determined to get justice for her cousin - by Kathryn Lewsey
  • 16 Feb 2020

Three decades on, Alice, is determined to solve her cousin’s murder.

Here, Alice Mitchell, 31, from Melbourne, shares the story in her own words.

Aussie cold case: Who left Nina to die on her verandah?

Working my way through a box of old items, memories came flooding back.

I smiled at my school photos and childhood drawings.

Then, in the bottom of the box, I found a pile of newspaper clippings.

Scanning the words, I felt a lump in my throat.

‘Nina,’ I whispered.

Growing up, my family had spoken often about Nina Nicholson, my dad Tim’s cousin.

In September 1991, Nina had been found brutally bashed on the back verandah of her home in Clunes.

She was just 22.

Her husband, Robert, had been away working interstate at the time.

Nina was a wholesome country girl who worked as a nurse.

It’s thought she was leaving her home for an evening shift when someone bludgeoned her to death on her doorstep.

A post-mortem determined Nina died after a blunt force trauma to the head and the crime scene suggested she had fought violently with the attacker.

Twenty-eight years on, in 2019, her killer still hadn’t been found.

There was no reason why anyone would want to kill Nina, and her handbag containing cash and credit cards had remained untouched by her side.

I thought about her parents, Spike and Ann, who still lived in Clunes.

They’d received a call from the hospital when Nina didn’t turn up to her shift.

Spike and Nina’s brother, Andrew, went to her house and discovered the scene. While Andrew called police and an ambulance, Spike rushed to get his wife and take her to their daughter’s side.

Ann was holding Nina as she took her last breath.

She remembers looking up and spotting a tall figure of a man hovering at the side of the house.

The dark night meant she couldn’t clearly see his face.

Alice Mitchell  wants to solve the cold case of her cousin Nina Nicholson

I won't stop fighting for justice

They’d received a call from the hospital when Nina didn’t turn up to her shift.

Spike and Nina’s brother, Andrew, went to her house and discovered the scene. While Andrew called police and an ambulance, Spike rushed to get his wife and take her to their daughter’s side.

Ann was holding Nina as she took her last breath.

She remembers looking up and spotting a tall figure of a man hovering at the side of the house.

The dark night meant she couldn’t clearly see his face.

Although I hadn’t seen Spike and Ann in years, I imagined they were still battling an enormous amount of pain and grief.

How could her murderer still be loose? I wondered.

I felt like the clippings at the bottom of the box could be a representation of how Nina’s case was treated by police and the media.

What if it was just sitting there at the bottom of a pile?

‘I need to make her seen again,’ I said to my partner, Rhys.

My past job as a private investigator meant I had the skills to help.

A few weeks later, I reached out to some locals in Clunes, and while some had theories, they had all been discounted by police.

My heart sank. It was so disappointing.

Police were even offering a $1 million reward for information that led to the killer being convicted, but no-one had come forward.

Nina with her friends

Nina with her friends - she was much loved

Over the years, there had been other theories about Nina’s death.

A year before she’d been killed, she’d phoned her parents terrified that she could hear an intruder outside the house.

Underwear had also regularly disappeared from her washing line.

Detectives looked into the possibility of a Peeping Tom, but were unable to find anything.

In September, five months after my box discovery, it was Nina’s birthday.

She would have been 51.

I shared a photo of my cousin on Facebook, writing, Time is UP. 28 years is too long to sit without answers.

Hundreds of locals messaged me, outraged that her killer was still out there.

Around the same time, my dear nan, Eleanor, passed away. At the funeral, I saw Ann and struck up a conversation about Nina.

She retold Nina’s story and explained how she hardly mixed with the Clunes community.

‘I can’t bear to think I’m near Nina’s killer,’ she said.

A week later, I went to visit Spike and Ann again.

‘I want to take the reins,’ I said.

‘I can contact people and post on social media. People can’t forget her.’

‘We’re happy for you to take control,’ Spike said.

‘All we want is justice for Nina. It’s insulting that someone is walking around thinking they’ve got away with it,’ Ann said.

I recorded a three-part podcast, Clunes Cluedo, looking into Nina’s death and appealing for information

Nina's parents, Spike and Anne

Nina's parents, Spike and Ann

Channel 9

‘Clunes is a small country town where everyone knows each other. Someone
must know something,’ I said.

Back in 1993, a coronial inquest couldn’t determine a motive or killer.

Since then, there have been various reports stating police have new information.

But they say it’s not enough to prove in court.

So I’ve requested another inquest.

For Spike and Ann, they’re terrified that time is getting on and Nina’s killer remains at large.

Nina was a much-loved young woman who had her whole life ahead of her.

She was incredible with kids and dreamed of becoming a mum.

Her killer has been able to live their life, while Nina’s was cruelly snatched away.

I urge anyone with information about Nina to come forward. I’ll keep fighting until we get the justice she deserves. ●

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 (Aus) or head here.

  • News
  • Real Life
Kathryn Lewsey
Kathryn Lewsey
Kathryn is a Features Writer for that's life!

Subscribe to That's Life Weekly & Save!-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life Weekly & Save!

Subscribe to That's Life Weekly & Save!-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life Weekly & Save!

Recommended to you

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis
Watch 0:37

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis

{headline}

{headline}

JonBenet Ramsey suspect speaks out

JonBenet Ramsey suspect speaks out

Face to face with Australia's MOST NOTORIOUS armed robbers

Face to face with Australia's MOST NOTORIOUS armed robbers

She forgave her mum's killer then he murdered her too!

She forgave her mum's killer then he murdered her too!

Killer hubby kept his first wife in the garage

Killer hubby kept his first wife in the garage

{headline}

{headline}

Could this CAR SOLVE my sister’s MURDER?

Could this CAR SOLVE my sister’s MURDER?

Strangled over a secret: Killer dumped his pregnant wife's body in the boot

Strangled over a secret: Killer dumped his pregnant wife's body in the boot

30-year cold case: How a Coke can caught a killer

30-year cold case: How a Coke can caught a killer

{headline}

{headline}

Serial killer Ted Bundy's stepdaughter speaks out

Serial killer Ted Bundy's stepdaughter speaks out

Former NSW teacher John Edwards sentenced over murder of estranged wife

Former NSW teacher John Edwards sentenced over murder of estranged wife

Evil step-mum: she kept my dad’s head in her handbag

Evil step-mum: she kept my dad’s head in her handbag

32-year cold case – The killer who was caught by his daughter’s DNA

32-year cold case – The killer who was caught by his daughter’s DNA

Wife killer – caught by a lip reader

Wife killer – caught by a lip reader

TRUE CRIME - Who murdered Billie-Joe?

TRUE CRIME - Who murdered Billie-Joe?

Man found guilty of murdering his pregnant wife for the SECOND time

Man found guilty of murdering his pregnant wife for the SECOND time

ThatsLife
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy
ThatsLife Magazine Subscribe
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Who
  • Girlfriend
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • Airtasker
  • Society One
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to That's Life Weekly & Save!-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to That's Life Weekly & Save!