Friends and family of the late Sara Niethe are outraged by a psychic's claim she solved the case of her murder.
It is ten years since Ms Niethe went missing, but her ex-boyfriend Mark Pakenham didn't admit killing her until seven months ago.
The case featured on TV programme Sensing Murder in 2008 and on the weekend one of the show's psychics, Sue Nicholson, told 3 News it was the one case she solved.
Ms Niethe's friend Rachel Mains says family and friends were astounded by the claim.
"We were really shocked and horrified," she says. "The case isn't solved and really Sue didn't do anything to help."
"I mean if she can't pronounce her name right, how the heck is she going to contact her."
The comment was made days after they were devastated to learn Pakenham is coming up for parole.
Since then Ms Nicholson's Facebook page has been inundated by people both supporting and attacking her.
She didn't respond to requests for a second interview with 3 News, but posted a message saying she had been misrepresented through editing, and that she had actually been asked if any offenders had subsequently been caught in cases she had worked on.
Just to be clear, in the original interview with 3 News she was asked: "How many cases did you solve?"
She replied: "Well, there's one been solved – Sarah Neish."
Regardless of Ms Nicholson's claims, it is police policy that investigations and any subsequent prosecutions must be based on tangible facts.
While they do welcome information from the public it must be backed up by evidence.
3 News
source: newshub archive
