Tracey Darlene McNamara May 6, 1962 to March 4, 1992 R.I.P.
Tracey came into our lives as our first born, on a beautiful Sunday morning May 6th 1962, at the Mercy Hospital in Melbourne to very proud parents Bev and Noel, and, also as the first grandchild to both sides.
Kelly-Maree and Brother Anthony followed Tracey; Tracey went to St Joshephs Primary School at Boronia, and Marter Christi College in Belgrave.
Tracey loved life, she loved to play netball, ride her bicycle and go out dancing, after finishing School, Tracey became and apprentice hairdresser, at Dolly Vardens Ferntree Gully, and when Tracey finished her hairdressing course, started a very successful business of her own.
At 12:30 am, on March the 3rd, we received a phone call telling us to go to St Vincent’s Hospital where police told us Tracey had been brutally bashed, and the doctors told us she would never recover.
On the way to the Hospital, Bev said to me this is no car accident, and that Tracey had told her that she was breaking it up with Noel Meyers, with whom she had been dating.
On March 2, Tracey had dinner at home with her family, then went to Meyers’ flat.
At approximately 10:45 on that night, neighbors heard sounds of running, scuffling and screaming, and male voice say, ‘I am going to fix you, and fix you good.’ Then they heard a thump-thump-thump, and that was he bashing her head on the floor.
The doctors told us she would die, but we hung on for two days hoping for a miracle.
One journalist described Tracey, 29, as being killed in one of Australia’s most brutal murders.
Tracey died according to an autopsy by, Victoria’s head of forensic medicine Professor Stephen Cordner, because her brain base was snapped from a number of blunt impacts to the head,hair pulled from Tracey’s head the likes he had never seen before.
Hair pulled from her head scalp was found on the floor under her head, on a light switch, the back door and other rooms in Meyers flat.
The name Noel Meyers is not spoken in the McNamara home; he is referred to as “the scumbag.”
As Bev and myself, when we became involved with other victims after Tracey murder, as all murder victim survivors, are told at some times during their grieving, why don’t you get on with your lives? To them, we say, you never get over what has happened to you when a scumbag enters your family’s life and cause unbelievable trauma. For parents, sibling, and friends, you enter the unknown: of people looking at you as if you have two heads. The ‘get on with your life’ types, I say to them, it all right if it is not your cheek to turn.
Finally your day in court, as ours was, on 19 April 1993, where the jury had no hesitation in finding the scumbag guilty of murder, however Mr. Justice “what a sick joke” George Hampel, sentenced scumbag to 10 years minimum, 14 years maximum. We thank God Hampel is not in our Supreme Court anymore.
At an appeal hearing by scumbag, at a latter date, for an unsafe jury, by scumbag, Mr. Justices Brooking and Teague, found that they were satisfied justice had been done, however, the other judge Mr. Justice John Coldrey, thought scumbag had a case, and thus, unbelievable, more pressure on our family. After that we went to the High Court.
There we had Mr. Justice Dawson, Mr. Justice Kirby, Justice Gummow, Dawson and Kirby thought scumbag had a case. I thought, for the first time, this is undoubtedly a legal cartel.
In 1996 thanks to Mr. Justice Coldrey, Kirby, and Dawson, Bev and I, went to the National Capital, Canberra, for the High Court hearing, the senior judge being Justice Gaudrion, who actually asked what this case was doing here, all this damage done by scumbag, and his defense, it was just a push. Kirby, also was one of five judges, but unlike the last time, never said a word among his peers, and the appeal was dismissed on the 3rd September 1997.
Naturally it was all at the expense of the taxpayer for scumbag; victims really have no right of appeal. However, thanks to four of the above, who go under the ‘Mr. Justice’ title, two have, thank God, already gone, and our family, in memory of Tracey, are , to use one of their terms, ‘here for the long haul’ to make sure not only is justice done, but to make sure it is done and that is our pledge, to all the loved ones of murder victims, to please let us know about any injustices.
Yes great stuff we have plenty of V/V’s to go on now we can do it again
Bring ‘em on.
Hello Noel. My name is Linda Mayer, I think you are doing a fantastic job.My brothers Dean and Evan Mayer went to school with Anthony. I hope he is doing well and also your wife and family. My mum tells me you always send a xmas card to say you and your wife are thinking of my mum and dad . ( they lost Dean to drugs).
All the best Linda Mayer.
Hi Cuz,
You are doing a great job. Sorry I cannot make the next Parliamentary meeting, but I will be there in spirit.
Take care Cuz … Jill xxx
I no you will Cuz.