New evidence is bringing the tragic death of Louisa Ioannidis, who was found in a Melbourne creek in 2011, back into the spotlight and raising doubts about the initial coroner’s findings. Questions have haunted Louisa’s brother Tass ever since his 24-year-old sister’s lifeless body was discovered in Darebin Creek, near Reservoir, on 11 October, 2011.

Based on the forensic examination and police report at the time, the coroner concluded that Louisa’s death was “consistent with drowning” under circumstances deemed non-suspicious. The case was closed without being referred to the Homicide Division and without a formal judicial investigation.

“I didn’t believe that she just fell into the creek and drowned,” Tass told Australian Story.

“I just don’t buy that story.”

Independent investigation

Seeking answers, Tass turned to former police officer Julia Robson, who in 2022 began an independent investigation into Louisa’s death. According to a previews Neos Kosmos report, last year Louisa’s family, following new information uncovered by Robson, requested a new forensic review to clarify the causes and circumstances of her death.

Recently, independent forensic pathologist Johan Duflou re-examined the original autopsy material and cast further doubt on the drowning theory. After identifying possible bruises on Louisa’s neck, he stated:

“I don’t think manual strangulation in this case can be excluded.”

Duflou noted that characterising a death as “consistent with drowning” is not a definitive confirmation of drowning. In Louisa’s case, he explained, “the evidence suggesting [that her death was due to] drowning is limited.”

Because Louisa’s body had been in the water for many days, decomposition made the autopsy more difficult. Duflou added that if Louisa was strangled, it is impossible to determine whether this caused her death. He ultimately recorded her cause of death as “undetermined.”

The report has now been submitted to the Coroners Court of Victoria by a team of lawyers working pro bono for Tass, alongside other new evidence, with a request to overturn the original coroner’s report and reopen the investigation.

However, Robson told Neos Kosmos that so far, “they have not received a response regarding whether their request was accepted.”

The tragic timeline

Drawing from documents collected by Tass, Robson gathered key evidence and, with Clare McGrath, created the podcast Troubled Waters, which explores the background of Louisa’s death.

In the series, Robson and McGrath highlighted major shortcomings in the 2011 police investigation, inconsistencies in the statements of Louisa’s partner, Joe (not his real name), and evidence that Louisa was trying to leave the relationship.

During the original investigation, police relied in part on Joe’s statements, despite him facing a domestic violence charge at the time. Legal proceedings against him were dropped following Louisa’s death.

On 2 October, 2011, the day Louisa was last seen alive, a neighbour reported seeing her bleeding and overhearing an argument. According to ABC, the neighbour remembers Louisa pleading with her partner:

“Please, Joe, don’t hurt me. Stop.”

Later that evening, around 8.44pm, Louisa left their unit with blood in her hair and borrowed a neighbour’s phone. She was overheard saying: “Joe, where are you? I’m waiting for you.”

When Joe arrived home at approximately 9.45pm, he told police Louisa was not there and that he had asked to end the relationship. He claimed he then went to the corner of the street and saw Louisa running in her pink nightgown towards Darebin Creek.

“I looked left and right and I saw her all the way to the end of Tyler Street,” he said in his police statement.

“I whistled but she ignored me. She was bolting … I didn’t go out of Seston Street and I didn’t chase her.”

Testing the story

Robson and McGrath later attempted to recreate the scene. At 9.45pm, Robson stood at the end of Tyler Street in a nightgown identical to Louisa’s. McGrath positioned herself where Joe claimed he stood, about 370 metres away, but reported she could not see anything pink until Robson moved much closer.

Their investigation also revealed the water level in Darebin Creek was around 40 centimetres at the time, contradicting the police report. While experts acknowledge drowning can occur in shallow water, Robson and McGrath raised serious doubts.

The deeper they dug, the more questions emerged.

Since the release of Troubled Waters, Louisa Ioannidis’ story has struck a chord with the public. More than 22,000 people have now signed a petition calling for an inquest into her death.