South Australian Mother's Disappearance: Opal Sales Add Mystery to Outback Case
A disturbing new theory has emerged in the baffling disappearance of a South Australian mother, with her own family describing it as strange as investigators continue to piece together her final movements in the state's remote outback. Trisha Graf, 41, was last seen on December 12 driving near the isolated town of Andamooka, in South Australia's far north - an unforgiving landscape hundreds of kilometres from Adelaide.
Police say Ms Graf had been drinking with friends earlier that day before setting off alone. She has not been seen or heard from since. As concern for her safety intensified, South Australia Police declared the case a major crime investigation on January 6, confirming they are treating her disappearance as suspicious with specialist officers combing the harsh terrain for any sign of the missing mother.
Valuable Opal Listings Before Disappearance
The Daily Mail can now reveal a potentially crucial detail in the weeks leading up to Ms Graf's disappearance. Prior to vanishing, Ms Graf had been advertising valuable uncut opals worth thousands of dollars, listing them for sale on a specialised Facebook page frequented by gemstone collectors.
Photographs show two large stones laid out on a plate, yet with almost no description provided. One opal, described as a Squid Fossil opal, was listed for $2000, while a second Cockle shell opal was priced at $700. It remains unclear whether either of the gemstones were sold before Ms Graf disappeared, however both listings remain visible online.
Daily Mail has since spoken to Ms Graf's daughter Montanah, who said she had no knowledge that her mother owned the opals or had listed them for sale, describing the revelation as strange amid the growing mystery surrounding her disappearance.
Family's Fears and Final Movements
Ms Graf's mother, Anne, who lives 600km south of Andamooka in the Barossa Valley, doesn't believe Trisha would leave her children in a million years and fears she has met with foul play.
There's no way Trisha would have left them willingly, especially so close to Christmas and with Lily's 11th birthday coming up on the 19th, she previously said. Trisha was a big girl. You'd have to have someone else involved. The bad thing is there's that many mines out there I don't know if police will be able to find her. They're going to have to be smart about it. I do think she's been left in one of those [old shafts].
Trisha moved to Andamooka from Cadell last year with her partner and their two children, 10 and 12. She also has four adult children. It is understood the two young children were at a friend's home on the night of their mother's disappearance.
Ms Graf was last seen at the Roxby Downs Hotel at 12.19am on December 12, leaving a short time later in a white 2012 Ford Territory (SA registration S254BCX), accompanied by a friend. She drove towards Andamooka, colliding with a kangaroo just outside the township.
Despite the accident, Ms Graf and her friend continued into town and visited a house in the north-western area. Shortly before 2am, Ms Graf left that address to make the short trip home. She was last seen driving along Dunstan Drive in Andamooka.
Vehicle Discovery and Police Investigation
Just after midday on December 12, Ms Graf's partner and a friend, who were searching for her, found her Ford Territory perched on a dirt mound near the Blue Dam, east of the township. The vehicle had sustained damage from the collision and could not be driven from its position.
SA Police and SES initially conducted ground and aerial searches, followed by a community search in Andamooka. Police divers later searched the Blue Dam, but Ms Graf was not found.
We have established Trisha's movements on the evening and morning she was last seen, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said. But we believe there are people who may have seen her within the town who have not yet contacted police. We know there were people who were with Trisha at both the Roxby Downs Hotel and who saw her after she returned to Andamooka and we need to speak with them.
Since then, police from the Far North, Port Augusta, the Missing Persons Section and PolAir have carried out further ground, door-to-door and aerial searches.
Physical Description and Ongoing Investigation
Ms Graf was wearing black pants and a black top at the time of her disappearance. Her hair was also up in a plait, away from her face. Ms Graf is known to have a nose piercing, lip piercing and ear piercings as well as a skull tattoo on her upper right arm and a mermaid tattoo on her lower forearm.
Daily Mail has forwarded the new information to SAPOL. While they did not confirm whether they were aware of the information regarding the Opals they did confirm there was still an active investigation around Ms Graf's disappearance.
All lines of enquiry are being followed up, the spokesperson said. If someone has information that they believe may assist police then they should make contact with police or call Crime Stoppers. Police will provide an update at a future time.
