By ANTHONY RADFORD

A GOLDEN Square house could hold the key to the disappearance of a Melbourne woman 21 years ago.

Forensic police will travel to Bendigo tomorrow (Friday) to search a house in Elm Street.

Marlene McDonald was living in the house when it was in Reservoir on December 14, 1986 when she disappeared. Police believe she met with foul play.

Police also believed the house had been demolished, however further investigations revealed it had been moved to Bendigo.

Last week police took out a $100,000 reward to help solve the mystery of her disappearance.

The 36-year-old single mother was working as a waitress at the Truck City restaurant and café on the Hume Highway at Campbellfield when she disappeared.

She was last seen just after midnight on Sunday 14 December, 1986, when she returned to her Wattle Grove home after an evening out with friends.

She was reported missing by her parents and her abandoned vehicle, a green 1968 Toyota Corolla Coupe was located at the truck stop the following evening.

She has never been seen or heard from since and police believe she has met with foul play.

The officer in charge of the Cold Case Taskforce, Detective Inspector Kim West said investigators had reviewed the case and believed someone in the community has information regarding Marlene’s disappearance.

“Her disappearance has been described as very out of character and the lack of contact with her children for all these years is particularly telling.

“She was a dedicated mother who loved her children and would never have willing severed contact with them.”

At the time of her disappearance Ms McDonald was estranged from her husband and living with three of her five children.

The other two children lived with their father.

An examination of the house the day after she disappeared indicated that somebody had forced entry to the premises.

Witnesses later told police that on the night of her disappearance they heard Ms McDonald’s car start up and drive erratically out of the driveway and up the street.

The driver was not Marlene.

Police believe someone lay in wait for her return and used her vehicle to transport her somewhere else before leaving the car at her work.

Shortly after her disappearance two anonymous phone calls were made to her work which included information that she was dead.

Police have confirmed some of the information provided in the calls and are appealing for the person who made them to call back.

“Certainly this person had some sort of knowledge about what happened to Marlene and despite the passage of time we are urging them to come forward,” Detective Inspector West said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions will consider granting an indemnity from prosecution to any person who provides information as the identity of the main offenders or offender in this matter.

“Marlene’s children, family and friends have suffered by not knowing what happened to her. We would like to be able to provide them with some answers and bring those responsible to justice.”

Anybody with information about Ms McDonald’s disappearance or the location of her vehicle are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

See link below for a photo of the house