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Murder of Sheree Beasley

SOLVED1991Rosebud, Victoria, Australia2 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Sheree Joy Beasley was a six-year-old schoolgirl from Rosebud, Victoria. On 29 June 1991, she rode her bicycle to a nearby milk bar and did not return. Witnesses later reported seeing a middle-aged man driving a blue car with a distressed child inside. Her body was found on 24 September 1991 in a stormwater drain, approximately three months after her disappearance.

Police investigated Robert Arthur Selby Lowe, who had previously been interviewed after the abduction and had a record of offences involving children. Lowe later began seeing psychotherapist Margaret Hobbs. Hobbs became concerned by statements he made about the case, including comments about his whereabouts, an alibi, and the legal consequences of a guilty plea. Police recorded some therapy sessions, and Hobbs later agreed to assist the investigation.

At trial, Lowe challenged the admission of the therapy recordings on confidentiality grounds. The court admitted the evidence. Lowe also made statements acknowledging that he had given Sheree a ride and strangled her. A jury convicted him of kidnapping and murder, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 15-year minimum non-parole period.

Lowe later maintained that he was innocent, but his conviction remained in place. He died in 2021. Sheree’s family and community continued to commemorate her, including with a memorial service at her grave on the 24th anniversary of her death.

Key facts

Victims
Sheree Beasley
Date
1991
Location
Rosebud, Victoria, Australia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1985-02-25

    Sheree Joy Beasley is born.

  2. 1991-06

    Beasley is abducted from a milk bar near her home in Rosebud, Victoria, and murdered by Robert Arthur Selby Lowe.

  3. 1991-09-24

    Beasley's body is found in a stormwater drain in an advanced state of decomposition.

  4. 1992-04

    Lowe states he gave Beasley a ride in his car and manually strangled her.

  5. 1996

    Psychotherapist Margaret Hobbs dies in a vehicle accident while writing a book about the case; it is later completed and published by Andrew Rule.

  6. 2014-08

    Lowe writes that he believes he was used as a scapegoat by law enforcement.

  7. 2015-06

    A memorial service is held at Beasley's grave on the 24th anniversary of her murder.

  8. 2021-11-04

    Robert Arthur Selby Lowe dies.

Best coverage

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People

  • Robert Arthur Selby Lowe

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of kidnapping and murder; sentenced to life imprisonment plus 15 years without parole.

  • Sheree Beasley

    VICTIM

    Six-year-old schoolgirl abducted, raped, and murdered in June 1991.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Rosebud, Victoria, Australia

-38.3667, 144.9000

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Six-year-old Sheree Beasley was abducted near her home in Rosebud, Victoria, in June 1991 and killed by Robert Arthur Selby Lowe; her body was found in a stormwater drain three months later. Lowe was convicted of kidnapping and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a 15-year minimum non-parole period.
Where did the murder happen?
Rosebud, Victoria, Australia.
Who was convicted?
Robert Arthur Selby Lowe (Convicted of kidnapping and murder; sentenced to life imprisonment plus 15 years without parole.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Victoria

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Sheree BeasleyWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The AgeThe Age · 2026-07-10