Unravelling decades of deception: Coroner warms up Air Force vet’s cold disappearance case
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Content Warning: This article contains discussions of sensitive themes including disappearance, betrayal, and murder which may be distressing to some individuals. Reader discretion is advised.
In a tale shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the disappearance of an Air Force veteran over half a century ago has left lingering questions unanswered.
Now, after decades of uncertainty, the truth behind his vanishing has come to light, revealing a web of deception and betrayal stemming from his wife's secret affair.
The disappearance of Vincent Edward Down, an Air Force veteran and former police officer, has haunted the small Tasmanian coastal town of Bridport for decades.
Vanishing without a trace on August 7, 1969, the mystery of what happened to the 43-year-old man has finally been unravelled, revealing a tale of love, betrayal, and murder that sounds like it's straight out of a crime novel.
Vincent's wife, Doreen, reported him missing in the early hours of the following morning, sparking a search that would ultimately prove fruitless and an investigation that would slowly fade away.
However, after decades of silence and secrets, the truth has emerged, and it's as sordid as it is tragic.
The man at the centre of this dark story is Alvin Feuerhammer, Down's then-25-year-old neighbour, who was interviewed by police at the time but never charged.
The investigation into Vincent's disappearance eventually ‘petered out’, leaving more questions than answers.
However, a coroner's inquest, prompted by a report to the coroner in 2020 and a public hearing held in February, shed new light on the events of that fateful night.
Coroner Simon Cooper ruled that Mr Feuerhammer most likely shot Vincent and disposed of his body using his ute.
This revelation was made all the more chilling by the fact that Feuerhammer died by suicide in 1994 in Queensland after murdering his wife with a .22 rifle.
The inquest uncovered that Feuerhammer was having an affair with Mrs Down, which she ended shortly before her husband's disappearance.
Mr Cooper reported that Mrs Down had informed the police ‘something to the effect that he [Vincent] would cause her as much pain as she had caused him’.
Mr Cooper further remarked that Mr Feuerhammer's statements to the police lacked coherence.
According to Mr Feuerhammer, he had invited Vincent to his residence on the evening of August 7, 1969, to mend a TV cabinet allegedly damaged by a previous accident involving a bullet hole.
Despite this, Vincent, a truck driver for the Royal Australian Air Force stationed in Japan after World War II, departed without addressing the cabinet issue.
Feuerhammer had even told a constable before a formal interview on August 18, ‘I have been thinking about [Mr] Down and I might have done something to him.’
‘I keep thinking I may have washed out the back of the ute that night (Mr) Down went missing…but I don't know if it really happened,’ he added.
Mr Cooper mentioned that Mr Feuerhammer's remarks were not brought up during the official interrogation, and it remained uncertain whether the interviewing detectives were made aware of them.
‘[He] made a number of statements…that must then, and certainly now, have caused suspicion that he was responsible for Mr Down's disappearance,’ Mr Cooper said.
The typically dirty appearance of Mr Feuerhammer's utility vehicle was notably pristine the day following Mr Down's vanishing.
A bystander reported observing Mr Feuerhammer driving along the route between Scottsdale and Bridport around 9:30 pm on August 7, with the tray cover of his utility vehicle closed.
Mr Feuerhammer claimed he went for a drive at 9 pm to purchase a packet of cigarettes.
The coroner's findings have warmed the case, which seemed cold for so long.
Although the police’s response in 1969 was deemed prompt and comprehensive for its time, and subsequent reviews have not uncovered any new information or a potential grave site, the coroner's report brought closure to a mystery that has lingered for decades.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with the themes discussed in this article, please contact support services such as Lifeline at 13 11 14 or Beyondblue at 1300 22 4636 for assistance.
The mysterious disappearance of Air Force veteran Vincent, which has remained unsolved for half a century, bears striking similarities to another enigmatic case involving missing senior campers.
While Vincent's vanishing was shrouded in suspicion surrounding his wife's clandestine affair, the trial unfolding in the case of the ex-pilot reveals a hidden liaison between the missing individuals.
These parallel narratives underscore the complexities and intrigues surrounding disappearances within the senior community, raising questions about secrets and motives that may lay buried for years.
Do you have any similar stories you may have encountered in the past? How do you feel about this revelation after so many years? Let us know in the comments below.
In a tale shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the disappearance of an Air Force veteran over half a century ago has left lingering questions unanswered.
Now, after decades of uncertainty, the truth behind his vanishing has come to light, revealing a web of deception and betrayal stemming from his wife's secret affair.
The disappearance of Vincent Edward Down, an Air Force veteran and former police officer, has haunted the small Tasmanian coastal town of Bridport for decades.
Vanishing without a trace on August 7, 1969, the mystery of what happened to the 43-year-old man has finally been unravelled, revealing a tale of love, betrayal, and murder that sounds like it's straight out of a crime novel.
Vincent Edward Down, a former Air Force veteran and police officer, vanished over 50 years ago, suspected to have been murdered by his wife's lover. Credits: Shutterstock
Vincent's wife, Doreen, reported him missing in the early hours of the following morning, sparking a search that would ultimately prove fruitless and an investigation that would slowly fade away.
However, after decades of silence and secrets, the truth has emerged, and it's as sordid as it is tragic.
The man at the centre of this dark story is Alvin Feuerhammer, Down's then-25-year-old neighbour, who was interviewed by police at the time but never charged.
The investigation into Vincent's disappearance eventually ‘petered out’, leaving more questions than answers.
However, a coroner's inquest, prompted by a report to the coroner in 2020 and a public hearing held in February, shed new light on the events of that fateful night.
Coroner Simon Cooper ruled that Mr Feuerhammer most likely shot Vincent and disposed of his body using his ute.
This revelation was made all the more chilling by the fact that Feuerhammer died by suicide in 1994 in Queensland after murdering his wife with a .22 rifle.
The inquest uncovered that Feuerhammer was having an affair with Mrs Down, which she ended shortly before her husband's disappearance.
Mr Cooper reported that Mrs Down had informed the police ‘something to the effect that he [Vincent] would cause her as much pain as she had caused him’.
Mr Cooper further remarked that Mr Feuerhammer's statements to the police lacked coherence.
According to Mr Feuerhammer, he had invited Vincent to his residence on the evening of August 7, 1969, to mend a TV cabinet allegedly damaged by a previous accident involving a bullet hole.
Despite this, Vincent, a truck driver for the Royal Australian Air Force stationed in Japan after World War II, departed without addressing the cabinet issue.
Feuerhammer had even told a constable before a formal interview on August 18, ‘I have been thinking about [Mr] Down and I might have done something to him.’
‘I keep thinking I may have washed out the back of the ute that night (Mr) Down went missing…but I don't know if it really happened,’ he added.
Mr Cooper mentioned that Mr Feuerhammer's remarks were not brought up during the official interrogation, and it remained uncertain whether the interviewing detectives were made aware of them.
‘[He] made a number of statements…that must then, and certainly now, have caused suspicion that he was responsible for Mr Down's disappearance,’ Mr Cooper said.
The typically dirty appearance of Mr Feuerhammer's utility vehicle was notably pristine the day following Mr Down's vanishing.
A bystander reported observing Mr Feuerhammer driving along the route between Scottsdale and Bridport around 9:30 pm on August 7, with the tray cover of his utility vehicle closed.
Mr Feuerhammer claimed he went for a drive at 9 pm to purchase a packet of cigarettes.
The coroner's findings have warmed the case, which seemed cold for so long.
Although the police’s response in 1969 was deemed prompt and comprehensive for its time, and subsequent reviews have not uncovered any new information or a potential grave site, the coroner's report brought closure to a mystery that has lingered for decades.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with the themes discussed in this article, please contact support services such as Lifeline at 13 11 14 or Beyondblue at 1300 22 4636 for assistance.
The mysterious disappearance of Air Force veteran Vincent, which has remained unsolved for half a century, bears striking similarities to another enigmatic case involving missing senior campers.
While Vincent's vanishing was shrouded in suspicion surrounding his wife's clandestine affair, the trial unfolding in the case of the ex-pilot reveals a hidden liaison between the missing individuals.
These parallel narratives underscore the complexities and intrigues surrounding disappearances within the senior community, raising questions about secrets and motives that may lay buried for years.
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