Amber Haigh murder accused back in Young Local Court in September

A Harden couple charged with the murder of a Kingsvale teen has again faced Young Local Court.

On Tuesday (5 July), Robert Samuel Geeves and his former wife Anne Margaret Geeves, both 61, were set to appear before Magistrate Jillian Kiely, accused of killing the 19-year-old mother of one Amber Haigh.

Ms Haigh was reported missing on 19 June 2002 after failing to return to her Kingsvale home where she and her six-month-old son had been living with the Geeveses.

Robert Samuel Geeves, who faces a further charge of “aggravated sexual assault – victim with serious intellectual disability”, remains in custody in Junee Correctional Centre.

He failed to appear via audio-visual link on Tuesday but was represented by lawyer June Langfield.

NSW Police Prosecutor Sergeant Jozef Pinkerton sought an adjournment allowing more time to prepare their brief.

He said the two police investigations into Ms Haig’s disappearance meant that two briefs were required with a 2002 brief already served, but the later 2022 investigation brief was yet to be finalised.

He said due to the history and nature of the matter, the material required was complex and voluminous, but he hoped to have the final brief completed by late September.

Ms Langfield said she had spoken with the detective in charge of the investigation and she had no objection given the amount of material needed to be served.

Lawyer Clive Hill told the court he was still not in a position to run a bail release application for his client, Anne Geeves, who remains in custody in Silverwater Prison but did appear via audio-visual link.

“I’m still waiting for medical reports and that’ll probably disappoint her,” he told Magistrate Kiely.

The matter has been adjourned to Young Local Court until 20 September 2022 with Magistrate Kiely indicating a release application for Mrs Geeves will likely be made before that date.

Neither of the accused has entered a plea.

Despite extensive investigations by police over the years – including numerous public appeals and a reward for information – Ms Haigh has not been located and the circumstances of her disappearance remained undetermined.

In 2011, a coronial inquest found Ms Haigh to be deceased, having died as a result of homicide or other misadventure in early June 2002.

In 2020, a formal review of the case was conducted under the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide framework and a re-investigation commenced by detectives attached to Strike Force Villamar II.

On 26 April 2022, the NSW Police Force and the NSW Government announced the reward for information relating to Ms Haigh’s suspected murder had been increased to $1 million.

Eight days later, on 4 May, the Geeveses were arrested in Harden by homicide detectives.

A search warrant was executed at the property a short time later where police seized a number of items relevant to investigations.

Detectives had also travelled to Thurgoona, near Albury, on 28 April and seized a white Suzuki Sierra for further forensic investigation.