Nanette Mae Ellis was born in 1943 and lived a modest, routine life in Boronia, a suburb in eastern Melbourne, Australia. Divorced and raising her two sons on her own, she worked as an advertising manager for The Free Press, a local newspaper in Belgrave. Colleagues described her as well-regarded, professional, and unassuming, with seemingly no involvement in anything that might invite danger.
Her home at 39 Manuka Drive was meant to be a safe haven, but in the weeks leading up to her death, it became the center of escalating harassment.
Ellis’s daily routine was predictable: she commuted to work, cared for her sons, and maintained a quiet social life. But in the days and weeks before her death, the forty-one-year-old Ellis experienced a string of disturbing incidents that left her fearful and on edge. These began on January 31st, 1984, when her car broke down due to a rock wedged in the radiator, puncturing it. The harassment subsequently intensified: on February 1st, a rock smashed through her windshield while she drove on Monbulk Road.
The next day, rocks were thrown at her car on her way home, denting the roof, and the day after that, another rock shattered her windshield, landing inside the vehicle. The rocks were similar to stones from a nearby railway line.
Between eight p.m. and ten p.m. on February 4th, paint was poured over her car while parked at home, and on February 6th, her car was again vandalized in the driveway. This time the number plates and radio antenna were ripped off, the windshield wipers bent, and the tires slashed, with one still deflating when the damage was discovered.
Alarmed, Ellis reported these events to the police, who provided surveillance, escorts to and from work, and even had friends stay over for protection. She stockpiled makeshift weapons—an air rifle, golf club, and wooden baton—near her front door. Similar rock-throwing incidents targeted other vehicles in the area, but no suspects were identified, and investigators could not definitively link the vandalism to her murder.
On Friday, February 10th, 1984, Ellis left work and drove home, arriving around five fifteen p.m., as witnessed by a passerby. She was planning to join colleagues for dinner later that evening. Tragically, she never made it.
Sometime shortly after entering her house, she was attacked by an unknown assailant—or possibly multiple offenders—and stabbed multiple times with a knife. The assault was swift and violent, occurring at the rear of the home.
Her son Greg, who had been watching TV at a neighbor’s house, returned just after six p.m. and discovered her body slumped in a pool of blood near the back door. The scene was horrific, and the motive remained elusive—nothing was stolen, and there were no signs of sexual assault or forced entry. Police quickly ruled out any criminal associations on Ellis’s part, describing the killing as inexplicable.
The Victoria Police Homicide Squad launched an immediate investigation, interviewing neighbors, colleagues, and anyone with potential connections. Over the years, detectives like Senior Sergeant Stuart Bailey, Inspector Dean Thomas, and more recently Detective Etherington have reviewed the case, hoping for breakthroughs. Despite exhaustive efforts, no arrests have been made, and the perpetrator remains unknown.
Public appeals have been a cornerstone of the investigation. On the 30th anniversary in 2014, a $500,000 reward was announced for information leading to a conviction, which remains in place today. The Department of Public Prosecutions has offered potential indemnity for accomplices who come forward. Renewed pleas marked the 40th anniversary in 2024, with police releasing photos of Ellis and her car to jog memories.
As of mid-2025, the murder of Nanette Ellis remains unsolved, with no significant updates reported since the 40th anniversary appeals.
Crime Immemorial 