Reward posted in historic murder case

Australian police are offering a A$100,000 reward for help in solving the murder of Earle Heina Monkley in 1973. Photo / Dean Purcell

New South Wales police have offered a A$100,000 ($122,800) reward for help in solving a 37-year-old mystery over the murder of a former New Zealand man, who may have been shot by a jealous husband.

The killing of Earle Heina Monkley, who died from a single gunshot wound almost four decades ago, has baffled detectives who said the last confirmed sighting of him was in Yass, northwest of Canberra, at 3pm on April 7, 1973.

Mr Monkley had finished work at an RSL club in Batlow, southwestern NSW, about noon that day and intended to drive to Toukley, on the NSW Central Coast.

His body was found the next day on a footpath in North Parramatta, Sydney, with a single gunshot wound to the head.

Police have renewed their appeals for help solving the case.

"I don't believe the passing of 37 years will in any way diminish the recollections of any person who may have information relative to this investigation," Detective Chief Inspector Dennis Bray said in a statement.

"Information of this nature is not easily forgotten."

Mr Monkley's family, who still lived in New Zealand, deserved to know what happened to him, NSW Police Minister Michael Daley said.

Auckland-based Earleen Monkley, who separated from Mr Monkley three years before he was shot, said she needed to know what had happened.

He was described by police as a ladies' man, and jealousy may have been the motive, she told TV3 news.

"They felt that because of the reputation that he had made for himself over there, that some distraught husband had decided that they'd had enough," Mrs Monkely said.

- NZPA