Sydney man could hold clue to FBI mystery

An Australian man who is thought to have taken part in activities with local LGBT social and sporting groups, including the Sydney Frontrunners, may hold the key to help the FBI identify a victim of an infamous American serial killer.

The FBI made an appeal last Monday for information on an Australian man, known only as Mark, who had written a letter to a woman known only as Connie, who police believe was abducted in the US by notorious 'Toybox Killer' David Parker Ray sometime in December 1995.  

According to the FBI, Mark wrote about meeting Connie and a friend named Candy at an American beach in February 1990.

The FBI believes Connie was murdered, along with up to 60 other women, by Ray in a homemade torture chamber during the early 1990s in the New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences.

Mark’s letter dated June 19, 1990 detailed how he was living at Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and working in a hospital for people with development disabilities.

The letter described how Mark had lived in London in 1988, Canada for about 18 months around 1989 and Paris for about six months.

The letter also said Mark had spent the Queens Birthday holiday in 1990 in Melbourne, was studying for exams in social policy in June 1990 and had jogged with Sydney Frontrunners that same month.

Following the appeal for public help by the FBI and Australian police, ACON confirmed to SX that it had discovered several possible matches in its records and would contact investigators.

A spokesperson for Sydney Frontrunners told SX they were not aware of any information relating to the case.

The FBI said it had re-opened its investigation into Ray following new information last October which led police to conduct two large searches around Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico.

The letter from Mark was found at Ray’s house in Elephant Butte, New Mexico following his arrest.

Ray was eventually sentenced in 2002 to 224 years imprisonment but died about six months later from a heart attack.  

Despite the suspected number of victims, police have never found any of the women’s bodies Ray is believed to have murdered.

If you have any information please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.