Shirley Finn

Shirley Finn
Born
Shirley June Shewring

(1941-11-02)2 November 1941
Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
Died22 or 23 June 1975
(aged 33)[1]
South Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Cause of deathMurder, death by firearm
Body discoveredRoyal Perth Golf Club.
Resting placeKarrakatta Cemetery, Perth
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)Brothel keeper, nightclub operator
Known forWhistleblower on police corruption, unsolved murder
SpouseDesmond (Des) John Michael Finn (Divorced) (Died 2009)[2]
PartnerRosalie Dean (aka Black)[2]
Children3

Shirley June Finn, née Shewring (2 November 1941 – 22 or 23 June 1975), was an Australian brothel keeper, nightclub operator and socialite who was shot dead at about midnight on 22–23 June 1975 in Perth, Western Australia. Her body, dressed in an elaborate ball gown and expensive jewellery, was found at dawn in her car, which was parked on a golf course next to a busy freeway.[1] The murder is notable because of Finn's close relationship with Western Australia Police detectives who, in that era, controlled and regulated Perth's prostitution and gambling activities. The crime remains unsolved.

A coronial inquest held between 2017 and 2020 returned an open finding with an acknowledgement that "it was most likely she was killed because she had tried to blackmail police about corruption."[3]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference wills2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Exit the Queen of Vice 1975, Page 117-124, By Alan Sharpe, Vivien Encel, Murder!: 25 True Australian Crimes, Kingsclear Books Pty Ltd, 1997, ISBN 9780908272471
  3. ^ Shepherd, Briana. "Shirley Finn inquest unable to solve long-running mystery of who murdered brothel madam." ABC News, 12 August 2020