Ivan Milat is CLEARED over the disappearance of two missing teenagers he was suspected of killing

Ivan Milat did not abduct and murder two missing teenage girls he was suspected of killing in 1979, police say. 

The notorious backpacker killer, who is believed to have taken secrets to his grave when he died of cancer last month, was the prime suspect in the disappearance of Robyn Hickie, 18, and Amanda Robinson, 14, both from the Hunter Valley. 

Milat, 74, was found guilty of killing seven people in the Balenglo State Forest in the 1990s and was suspected of murdering dozens of others – including the teenagers.

Now, detectives have ruled him out as a suspect in the case and linked their disappearance to a businessman who lives on the Gold Coast, The Daily Telegraph reported. 

Amanda Robinson was 14 when she went missing in April 1979

The notorious backpacker killer Robyn Hickie, 18 (left), and Amanda Robinson, 14 (right)  

Milat denied involvement in the Robinson and Hickie cases at an inquest into their disappearances in 2002.

NSW Police have been looking into the businessman since June, it was revealed at a bail hearing in Southport Magistrates court last month.

‘We are not commenting on suspects or persons of interest with our reinvestigation into the girls’ disappearance,’ Detective Sergeant Kristi Faber said.

Ivan Milat was a major suspect in the Robinson and Hickie cases, but denied involvement in 2002 during an inquest into their disappearances

Ivan Milat was a major suspect in the Robinson and Hickie cases, but denied involvement in 2002 during an inquest into their disappearances

‘We are focused on a distinctive mid-1970s Torana we believe may be involved in these cases, as well as possibly other sex attacks along the Pacific Hwy around that time.

‘It’s an unusual looking car and we would like to hear from anyone who may know who owned one like this back around that time or may have even purchased one similar.’

Detectives tried repeatedly to get a confession from Ivan Milat in the hours before his death (pictured: Milat in the interview room)

Detectives tried repeatedly to get a confession from Ivan Milat in the hours before his death (pictured: Milat in the interview room)

Det Sgt Faber said police believe it’s possible the car travelled between the Hunter Valley region and Queensland in 1979.  

The fresh investigation comes after Strike Force Arapaima was set up in June to look into the cold cases of the two girls, as well as teenager Gordana Kotevski, who went missing in 1994. 

The three girls were last seen in the Swansea and Belmont areas of NSW.

Sgt Faber said both disappearances occurred on or near a bus stop within two weeks of each other, within a 10km radius.

Police believe Kotevski was abducted in very similar circumstances to Robinson and Hickie. 

The revelation comes less than a month after chilling deathbed interviews with Milat were released, showing police trying to draw confessions for his crimes – and those he was suspected of committing.  

Milat gave nothing away, telling detectives he wouldn’t confess even if they ‘put a blowtorch’ to his eyes.  

Investigators visited the killer in jail and in hospital a total of eight times in the weeks before his death, but Milat remained nonchalant and largely silent throughout. 

A male detective was initially used to coax information about the location of some suspected victims from unsolved cases, but Milat refused to acknowledge the detective’s presence. 

‘Today, Ivan, is just about having a bit of a chat to see whether we can shed any light and maybe get a bit of closure for some families out there,’ the detective was heard saying in video aired by A Current Affair.  

Milat stayed silent, as the detective tried to appeal to the killer’s ego.

‘I don’t believe anyone is so devoid of decency that they would to the grave the knowledge and location of peoples loved ones,’ he said. 

‘The end result is that in three weeks or three months or however long you’ve got left on this earth, after you’re gone mate, and in years to come after we’re all gone, everyone left is still going to believe that you were responsible.’ 

As he was interviewed by a male detective, Milat stayed silent (pictured)

As he was interviewed by a male detective, Milat stayed silent (pictured)

Ivan Milat (pictured), 74, died of throat and stomach cancer last month

Ivan Milat (pictured), 74, died of throat and stomach cancer last month 

Milat periodically pretended to be asleep throughout the questioning.

Eventually, the 74-year-old warmed to two female detectives claiming he ‘didn’t like the attitude’ of the male officer.

Milat was forced to watch a series of recorded interviews with his victims’ family members in an attempt to draw a confession, but he remained indifferent.

‘What do you want me to watch this for?’ he asked.

‘[The families] only say what you expect them to say – I don’t feel sorry for them. Why should I feel sorry for them?’  

He also related the seven backpacker deaths to the deaths of his mother and sister.

‘[Death] happens all the time,’ he said.

Whether detectives believe him was ‘immaterial’ to him, he said.

‘I know in my heart, in front of God or whatever, I’m quite … you know, happy with what when I say this,’ Milat said.

Investigators visited Milat (pictured) a total of eight times to try and get a confession

Investigators visited Milat (pictured) a total of eight times to try and get a confession

When speaking about the unsolved murders police suspect he committed, Milat said: ‘You could blow me eyes with a blowtorch and I still could not tell you one word about any of them missing people.’ 

Milat, whose memory was described as ‘encyclopedic’, then continued to claim his innocence. 

He said he was able to recount every detail of his case backwards, and often used this skill to explain and discount the evidence against him found at his family’s property in the 1990s. 

‘He was cold hearted to the end. Even when the videos were shown there was no emotion, no empathy, just nothing,’ one officer previously told News Corp.

Another senior police source added: ‘Different approaches were made and different people used to try and get him to make admissions. He talked about some things, but not any confessions.’

Milat (pictured), whose memory was described as 'encyclopedic', always claimed innocence

Milat (pictured), whose memory was described as ‘encyclopedic’, always claimed innocence

The recordings came as 10 Daily revealed Milat handed a sealed letter to his brother Bill just days before he died, to be opened after his death.  

In one final insult to Australians, Milat used the letter to demand the New South Wales government pay for his funeral. 

He also asked for his belongings and legal documents to be handed over to his family.

‘Please don’t pay for my funeral services or contribute in any way,’ the 74-year-old wrote.

‘Corrective Services NSW to fund it all – a pauper’s burial or whatever is suitable.’ 

Milat (pictured) penned a letter before he died insisting the New South Wales government pay for his funeral

Milat (pictured) penned a letter before he died insisting the New South Wales government pay for his funeral

Bill Milat told Ten: ‘It’s the taxpayer that put him in there (prison) so the taxpayer has to pay. Corrective Services had him all this time so Corrective Services can foot the bill.’

Ivan Milat signed off the letter with his name and a small illustration of a figure with a halo above the word ‘innocent’.

Corrective Services said its commissioner hadn’t received any recent correspondence from Milat.

‘Corrective Services NSW will under no circumstances be paying for this funeral,’ a spokeswoman said. 

The killer’s body was cremated earlier this month and as promised, the NSW government did not pay for it. 

His brother Bill Milat (pictured) believe Milat was innocent

The killer's nephew Alistair Shipsey (pictured) has also been a vocal supporter of his uncle

His brother Bill Milat (left) and nephew Alistair Shipsey (right) believe Milat was innocent

Only one member of the Milat family, Ivan’s brother Boris, has ever criticised the backpacker killer.

‘He was dead to me a long time ago,’ Boris told Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes.

‘This man is just an evil serial killer right to the last bone of him.’

Former detective Clive Small, who led the Milat investigation in the mid-1990s, told The Project why he never believed the man would confess.

‘I never thought he would, from the moment he was arrested, confess to anything,’ Mr Small said.

‘Milat’s personality, on my assessment, was such that he thought he was the boss.

‘He was in charge of everything he wanted to do or wanted to be in charge of, and the way he kept that position was by keeping information to himself or keeping info he knew other people would be interested in.’

Mr Small went on to explain the nation’s most notorious serial killer believed that as long as he was withholding information others wanted, despite receiving seven consecutive life sentences for murder in 1996, he was in control.

Caroline Clarke (pictured) was murdered by Ivan Milat along with travelling companion Joanne Walter

Caroline Clarke (pictured) was murdered by Ivan Milat along with travelling companion Joanne Walter

Anja Habschied (pictured is one of the victims of backpacker murderer Ivan Milat

Simone Schmidl bof the victims of backpacker murderer Ivan Milat.

Two of Milat’s victims in the 1990s were Anja Habschied (left), 20, and Simone Schmidl (right)

Milat was hospitalised in May and again earlier this month for stomach and throat cancer before being returned to the hospital wing of the jail.

His death was slow and painful as the cancer spread to his liver, lungs, bones and lymph nodes and he developed fluid on his heart. 

There will be an inquest into his death, as is the case with all deaths in custody.

Mr Small also said there are at least three unsolved murders with good reasons to suspect Milat.

‘We looked at literally hundreds of other unsolved murders and disappearances … There were three other murders that were unsolved where I think you could strongly point your finger at Ivan.

Former detective Clive Small, who led the Milat investigation in the mid-1990s, explained why he never believed the man would confess (pictured: Milat smiling after attending court)

Former detective Clive Small, who led the Milat investigation in the mid-1990s, explained why he never believed the man would confess (pictured: Milat smiling after attending court)

Pictured is a room in the hospital section of Long Bay prison where Milat died

Pictured is a room in the hospital section of Long Bay prison where Milat died

‘In one case I’ve got no doubt about it because the fire arm used in the killing of the backpackers was also used in this particular killing that was unsolved.’  

Milat was arrested in May 1994, following two months of surveillance.

Police were aided by an identification of Milat by British man Paul Onions, who had accepted a ride from him while hitchhiking out of Sydney in 1990 and managed to escape the car, running down the road while Milat shot at him.

His victims were English backpackers Caroline Clarke, 21, and Joanne Walters 22; Melbourne couple James Gibson and Deborah Everist, both 19; and German backpackers Simone Schmidl, 20, Gabor Neugebauer, 21, and Anja Habschied, 20.

He stabbed most, decapitated one whose head has never been found and shot another 10 times.

Many were knifed so savagely their bones were chipped, some had been gagged or bound, and some were suspected of having been sexually assaulted. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk