Patricia Ann Gay’s daughter, Brooke James, at Broadmeadows Police Station. Picture: Jay Town Source: News Corp Australia

Murder victim Patricia Ann Gay’s daughter Brooke James fought back tears as she told how not knowing what happened to their “funny, caring and beautiful natured” mother had tore them apart.

“It’s a nightmare to wake up every morning and wonder what’s happened to her, where is she,” Ms James said.

“It’s horrible to see her face every time you close your eyes, trying to go to sleep.

“You wonder what’s happened and did she suffer. What was running through her head when it was happening.”

Police conduct a line search at the Malmsbury property where the remains were found. Picture: Jay Town

Extensive searches of the area when the mother-of-five disappeared two years ago previously failed to find any trace of her.

Ms James said family occasions, in particular the arrival of two sets of twin grandchildren, were hard without her mother there to join in celebrations.

Skeletal remains - believed to be Ms Gay’s - were found by a farmer recently as he cleared land on his property on the outskirts of Malmsbury.

Once the bones were identified as human, and most likely belonging to Ms Gay, who disappeared from the area on March 2012, her family were notified yesterday.

Daughters (from left) Samantha Churchill, Brooke James and Skye Gay after their mother’s disappearance.

Ms James said it was closure to now have some answers and be able to lay her mother to rest but still not knowing what happened was difficult.

“I’d probably do just about anything to know what happened to her,” she said.

“You sort of need it because it’s still, even though this has happened, it’s still on your mind 24/7. What happened? Why did it happen? Who done it?”

Ms Gay’s son, Brett Churchill, said the family had tried to remain hopeful she’d be found alive but “I knew something was amiss”.

Patricia Ann Gay, who disappeared in 2012.

“Knowing her, I knew she wouldn’t have left us for this long without any trace,” he said.

Talking of the night his mother went missing, Mr Churchill said: “She just disappeared. The door was open. She was gone. She left her phone, her purse and medication.

“Her book was left open, that she was reading.”

The family hopes to now have a funeral for their mother “to actually give her somewhere nice to rest”, Ms James said.

The property owner found the bones scattered over a 20sqm area in shrubbery adjacent to the creek when he was recently clearing his land.

Police do not believe her body was recently dumped in the area.

Forensic tests have indicated the remains belong to a middle-aged Caucasian woman and police believe they are of Ms Gay, who disappeared in 2012.

Ms Gay was wearing pyjamas when she was last seen by her daughter about 10.30pm on Sunday March 11, 2012 at her Malmsbury property.

She was reported missing the next morning.

Ms Gay was being treated for a number of medical conditions and needed at least one type of drug “virtually constantly”.

Up to 30 members, including police and SES search and rescue teams, have today returned to the rural property near Malmsbury, about 100km northwest of Melbourne, to conduct further searches.

Homicide squad detective Senior Sergeant Shane O’Connell said they had extended the search area about 600m along Back Creek, which weaves through farmland in the area.

“We’re looking to locate further remains and any evidence that may assist us with our inquiries,” Sen-Sgt O’Connell said.

He said there had been significant floods of the creek since Ms Gay went missing, leading police to believe she may have washed downstream.

Evidence suggests foul play, Sen-Sgt O’Connell said, ruling out suicide or the fact Ms Gay, who was ill and required medication, may have wandered off from her Malmsbury home and fallen in the creek.

“There were a number of things in the initial stages that didn’t ring true (that led us to believe her disappearance was suspicious),” he said.

“I can’t go into detail about that because it is an ongoing investigation and our concerns have very much heightened since the location of these remains.

“But given the area we are searching is not in close proximity to (her) house and the terrain between the two is quite rough, and her ill health, suggests the likelihood of her getting to this location on her own is highly unlikely.”

Ms Gay had only moved to Malmsbury from Broadmeadows to live with her daughter a few days before she disappeared, Sen-Sgt O’Connell said.

He was unsure on why she had moved, but said her health had detiorated.

Further forensic testing will be conducted on the remains to make a formal identification and determine the cause of death.

Police have no suspects or a motive.

The farmer whose property the remains were found on was away at the time of her disappearance.

Sen-Sgt O’Connell said Ms Gay’s family were feeling a “mixture of relief and devastation” at the latest development in the case.

Homicide Detective-Inspector Michael Roberts said — at the time of announcing a $100,000 reward last year — that police believed she had been murdered.

“A number of stages of the investigation caused us to believe that (she has been murdered),” Det Insp Roberts said last year.

“As far as the circumstances surrounding her disappearance go, it might have been to do with medication, we’re not 100 per cent sure at this stage.

“There was medication and some personal belongings that were left behind. As a result of some inquiries that were done, the situation became a lot more suspicious.

“She needed that medication, virtually constantly. So to leave it behind is suspicious in itself and some of the other items of a personal nature that she left behind also gave rise to some suspicion with investigators, in line with a number of other things they’ve followed up,” he said previously.

Det-Insp Roberts said Ms Gay had a large extended family.

Police said the $100,000 reward remains on offer for any information that leads to the conviction of any person involved in Ms Gay’s suspected murder.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or go to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

jon.kaila@news.com.au

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