The turbulent upbringing before a cold case disappearance

Dressed in jeans, a dark blue singlet and thongs, Mr Galvin from Ballarat in Victoria, didn't tell anyone where he was going that evening, but said "see you later" to his mother before leaving.

It would be the last time Norma Galvin would speak to her son.

Since that day, Mr Galvin has been missing, and despite multiple attempts by police, no conclusive evidence as to what happened to the 21-year-old has been unearthed.

At a May 2, 2024, inquest into Mr Galvin's disappearance, coroner Audrey Jamieson concluded, on the balance of probabilities, the young man died after leaving his home.

This finding was based on information provided to the court by counsel assisting, Anna Pejnovic.

The court heard Mr Galvin was born in Ballarat on January 6, 1966, and was raised by his mother Norma and stepfather Peter.

After discovering Peter was not his biological father, Mr Galvin was described as becoming a "different child" who struggled with behavioural difficulties.

During his teenage years, Mr Galvin turned to drugs including cannabis, methamphetamine and heroin.

In December 1985, his younger brother died in a car accident, after which Mr Galvin became depressed, acted irrationally and started to speak about suicide.

About this time, Mr Galvin's girlfriend broke off their relationship, and he would call his ex-partner threatening to kill himself.

He was also described as being irrational and angry in the leadup to his disappearance.

About a month after Mr Galvin's disappearance, his mother went to Ballarat police and told an officer, who was also a friend, that her son had left home and not returned.

She also provided a photo to police, but no formal missing persons report was filed.

About a year later, Ms Galvin began making her own enquiries into her son's whereabouts.

She visited both Centrelink and the bank, where she was told Mr Galvin was no longer receiving payments or making withdrawals.

In April 1995, nearly 10-years after Mr Galvin disappeared, a woman told police her partner admitted to murdering the 21-year-old, and threatened to kill her if she said anything.

Allegedly, Mr Galvin had hit the man with his car while driving on Howitt Street, Wendouree.

After recovering from his injuries, the man invited Mr Galvin over to his house to smoke marijuana, but when he arrived, the man shot him in the head and threw his body down a Dunolly mine shaft as revenge for the car accident.

The woman told police she had "no doubt" her partner had killed Mr Galvin, and believed he was capable of murder.

While the man was incarcerated at Pentridge Prison for unrelated crimes, the woman visited him twice while fitted with a tape recorder, but no incriminating evidence was obtained.

In 2018, during an interview with the missing persons squad, the man said he had only met Mr Galvin twice, and denied murdering the 21-year-old.

Four years later, he again denied murdering Mr Galvin when questioned.

About the same time, officers received a report that a different man had admitted to murdering Mr Galvin at White Swan Reservoir in Glen Park.

Allegedly, the man and his brother took Mr Galvin to the reservoir, where they tortured him by shooting him in the joints of his limbs, before killing him with a fatal gunshot.

The murder was said to be in retaliation for the 21-year-old being "awful" to the brothers' family and for ripping them off.

In an interview with police, the man said he had lived near Mr Galvin, and because of this, had known him since he was 5-years-old.

But, he denied killing Mr Galvin, who he described as out of control and "bad news".

Afterwards, police said they believed the report they received alleging the murder was "genuine and honest", but there was insufficient evidence to prove if it was correct.

In concluding the hearing, Ms Jamieson said while several possibilities including murder, suicide and death by misadventure had been put before the court, there was not enough evidence to conclude how Mr Galvin died.

"Rodney Galvin formally of Rice Street is deceased and I find he died on or after 6 April 1987, [but] I'm not able to make more specific findings," she said.

"A number of probabilities have been posited, these include the possibility he was killed intentionally, took his own life, or misadventure.

"I convey my sincere condolences to Rodney's family for their loss."

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, phone Lifeline 13 11 14.

Help is also available, but not limited, via the following organisations. The key message is you are not alone.

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467