Robert Trimbole - Disappearance of Donald Mackay

Disappearance of Donald Mackay

Donald Bruce Mackay was a local politician, and anti-drugs campaigner. He was born and raised in Griffith, New South Wales, and operated his family's furniture business. Described as being very community minded, Mackay was an Australian Liberal Party candidate from 1973 to 1976, but failed to win a seat in parliament.

Concerned about the growing drug trade in his local area, and learning of a large crop of marijuana in nearby Coleambally, New South Wales, Mackay told Sydney police of the information he had obtained regarding the crop, which resulted in several arrests, and four men of Italian descent being convicted on Mackay's information.

Unfortunately for Mackay, at the trial of the men arrested, his name was read out during evidence, identifying him as the whistleblower. An attempt was made to lure Mackay to Jerilderie by an unidentified man who wished to make a large order of furniture from Mackay's family business. Mackay, busy at the time of the planned meeting with other matters, sent an employee, who travelled to Jerilderie to find nobody about.

On 15 July 1977, Mackay disappeared from the Griffith Hotel car park after having drinks with friends, and his body has never been found. At the scene of Mackay's disappearance, his locked van had bloodstains on the door, wheel rim, mudguard and tyre and Mackay's car keys and three spent .22 casings were found at the scene. Trimbole is believed to have arranged the contract style killing of Mackay.