Couple Acquitted in High-Profile Murder Trial of Missing Teen Amber Haigh**
On a cold winter's day in June 2002, Amber Haigh, an intellectually disabled 19-year-old, vanished from the New South Wales Riverina, sparking a mystery that would captivate the farming region for decades. Allegations soon emerged that Haigh had been murdered by the father of her five-month-old baby, Robert Geeves, and his wife, Anne Geeves, in order to steal her child.
Twenty years later, both Robert and Anne, now 64, stood trial for her murder. However, on Monday, they were acquitted after a high-profile court case. Justice Julia Lonergan stated that prosecutors had failed to prove the alleged motive, declaring: "Cases are not decided on rumour, speculation or suspicion."
Couple Acquitted in Amber Haigh Murder Trial, Ending Two Decades of Suspicion
Amber Haigh, a 19-year-old intellectually disabled mother, disappeared in June 2002 from New South Wales' Riverina region, with the last known people to see her alive being Robert and Anne Geeves. The couple claimed they had dropped Amber at a train station 300km from their home in Kingsvale to visit her dying father. Despite extensive police efforts, Amber’s body has never been found, and suspicion fell on the Geeveses.
Two decades later, Robert and Anne Geeves were charged with Amber’s murder. Prosecutors alleged they manipulated Amber into having Robert’s baby and killed her to steal the child when she wouldn’t give up custody. The court heard that the couple, who had suffered miscarriages and a stillbirth, still desperately wanted another child in the early 2000s.
The defence, however, argued that the case was built on flawed investigations and local mistrust towards Robert Geeves, who had been acquitted of previous murder and sexual assault charges. Their lawyers argued that this “presumption of guilt” blinded police in their pursuit of answers about Amber’s fate.
During the nine-week trial, witnesses recounted Amber’s vulnerability, including allegations of abuse by Robert Geeves. Yet, the judge found the prosecution's case lacked substantial evidence, particularly regarding the couple's alleged desire for more children at the time of Amber's pregnancy. Justice Julia Lonergan criticised the investigation for focusing on disproving the Geeveses’ account rather than uncovering the truth behind Amber’s disappearance.
While the court agreed that Amber was likely dead, the case against the Geeveses fell apart, leading to their acquittal and immediate release. The ruling left Amber’s family visibly shaken, as the mystery surrounding her fate remains unsolved.
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