Police have issued a fresh plea for information about the disappearance of Pyramid Hill woman Krystal Fraser 13 years after she vanished in regional Victoria.
Ms Fraser, 23 when she disappeared, was last seen in June 2009 and police believe she was murdered, although her body has never been found.
She was heavily pregnant and was due to give birth just days after she disappeared.
Police investigating Ms Fraser's disappearance said she discharged herself from hospital against medical advice on the night of her disappearance, saying she was going to a party in the town of Cohuna.
Police zero in on final phone call to mystery person
Police are confident they know the last person Krystal Fraser had contact with before she went missing 13 years ago.
The Missing Persons Squad is appealing for the person in a phone call she made the night she vanished, and anyone else with information, to come forward.
On the night of her disappearance, Ms Fraser received a 40-second call on her mobile which was from a public phone booth outside the Leitchville Post Office in Findlay Avenue at 11.59pm, on June 20, 2009.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Graham Hamilton said police believe they know who made this phone call to Ms Fraser.
"Police made extensive inquiries with people from Pyramid Hill, Cohuna and Leitchville in relation to the disappearance of Krystal," he said.
"Police are particularly interested in actually identifying who made the phone call from the public telephone booth in Leitchville as the phone actually ends up at that location as well.
"Police believe that the person who made that phone call at 11:59pm is either involved or has good knowledge in relation to what happened to Krystal."
Ms Fraser was last seen leaving an address at Albert Street in Pyramid Hill on June 20, and her phone showed activity at a Leitchville Tower – about 27 kilometres from Pyramid Hill – at 2:49am on June 21.
The 23-year-old discharged herself from Bendigo Hospital against medical advice on June 20, saying she was attending a "party at Cohuna".
Ms Fraser was wearing an orange top, black tracksuit pants and a camouflage-patterned baseball cap the day she vanished.
A $1 million reward for information about Krystal's disappearance was announced in 2019 and remains on offer.
'Nothing short of a tragedy' for tight-knit community
Detective Acting Inspector Tony Combridge said the case remains active and police are hopeful of finding out what happened to Ms Fraser.
"It's a small community and Krystal's disappearance has had a big impact on everyone in the area, not just her family," he said.
"While a significant period of time has passed, there is every chance this will work in our favour and now will be the right time for the right person to come forward to investigators and tell us what they know.
Former Homicide Squad investigator Wayne Woltsche, who was assigned to the case in 2009, said her family was entitled to know what happened to her.
"Cases like Krystal's stay with you, and I'm as invested today in getting answers as I was 13 years ago when I was working on the case while at the Homicide Squad," he said.
"Krystal was one of the most vulnerable members of our community and her disappearance is nothing short of a tragedy."
Disappearance left lasting impact on town
Dawn Billman has lived in Leitchville for more than 50 years and said Ms Fraser's disappearance loomed like a ghost over the town of 500.
"You go past the phone box and you think 'Could someone have seen something?'," she said.
"It's never going to end unless they find out who did it, but honestly with all the stuff that went through the town I don't think they ever will."
Mrs Billman said rumours of what happened to Ms Fraser circulated around Leitchville and nearby Gunbower following her disappearance, and were damaging to the town.
"Someone in the town had to know something, but they aren't saying anything. I don't want my grandchildren thinking Leitchville is a place where people go missing," she said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
An inquest into Ms Fraser's disappearance is due to begin on July 11.
