Between 1977 and 2009, 67 women either vanished or were found murdered along New South Wales (NSW) North Coast, their cases hauntingly unsolved and left to gather dust for decades. But now, as stories of these missing and murdered women resurface on social media, a new investigation is taking place. Not by law enforcement, but by TikTok users determined to seek answers where official channels and authorities have fallen silent. You thought that the TikTok investigation into the man punching women in New York City was thorough, just wait until you uncover this story.

This public appeal kicked into high gear last week after former Greens MP and current NSW legislative council member Jeremy Buckingham dropped a chilling bombshell in parliament: “These cases might not be isolated.” Buckingham claimed in his statement that senior police sources pointed to “alarming similarities” among them, hinting that the disappearances could be the work of a serial killer lurking undetected. Emphasising this possibility, the politician noted: “The worst serial killer in the nation’s history has gotten away with it.”

@news.com.au

Police have identified ‘casual links’ between some of the 67 unsolved cases of missing women on NSW’s North Coast. #police #crime #australia #nsw #truecrime #truecrimetok

♬ [News / News] Flat: Fantastic: Quiet(935641) - 8.864

The rumour regarding whether or not there’s a serial killer in New South Wales dates back to 1977 when 21-year-old Narelle Cox disappeared while hitchhiking from Grafton to Noosa. Cox was last seen by a truck driver who dropped her off near Brunswick Heads and from that point, she was never seen again. Over the next 32 years, an additional 66 women from the North Coast area either vanished or were found dead, including Susan Maree Kiely, 33, who went missing in 1989, and  Rose Howell, 18, who disappeared just last year near Coffs Harbour. Yet, not a single one of these cases has been conclusively solved.

Buckingham’s assertion struck a nerve with many in the community, including a growing number of TikTok users, mostly women, who are now mobilising to dig deeper into these unsolved cases. Many are sharing disturbing stories of their own suspicious encounters in the area. For example, @heykayley recounted a disturbing moment in Byron Bay, where she felt hunted by a man who crept up on her, only to flee when others noticed him. Her story quickly went viral with over 400,000 people listening to her testimony. The creator’s decision to share subsequently inspired a wave of similar accounts from women who also experienced threatening incidents in the area.

@heykayley

Replying to @Ellie Zuker Makeup storytime of why i’m never leaving the house again lol. anyway stay vigilant ladies 💕 #grwm #storytime #byronbay

♬ original sound - kayley 🌻

Following her first video, Kayley has now mapped out the locations of the supposed 67 cases, piecing together the possible connections. However, she remains uncertain about the idea of a single serial killer being responsible. “I don’t believe this is the work of one person,” she said, adding that local attitudes in Byron Bay make it feel like “people know a lot more than they’re letting on.”

@heykayley

Replying to @Dontwaitforareply Discussing the Northern NSW serial k*llings 😶 I'm not saying my situation is connected bcos of course no one can know that- but I'm seeing a lot of you message me about it so i thought I'd address it. I started tracking cases after I noticed the patterns once I posted my video and then I got overwhelmed and stopped... until this week when I learned about the list of 67 missing or 💀 women in Northern NSW and holy sh*t… this is big #nsw #truecrime #australia

♬ original sound - kayley 🌻

Another user, @laurac1are, shared an equally chilling story of her own close encounter nearby, with almost 2 million netizens tuning in to find out more. These unsettling accounts have only heightened the community’s unease, sparking a wave of grassroots investigations and amplified awareness across social media.

@laurac1are

One of my many not so responsible decisions in my 20s #byronbay #truecrime #closecall #hitchhiking #creepy

♬ original sound - LauraC1are

@laurac1are

Part 1 #murder #byronbay #foryou #foryoupage

♬ original sound - LauraC1are

While Buckingham’s statements and the public’s reaction have stirred significant concern, NSW Police remain firm in their stance that these cases are not connected, as reported by 9NEWS. A spokesperson for the NSW Police issued a statement insisting that no evidence points to a serial offender among the 67 cases.

Even without concrete confirmation of a serial killer, the alarming number of unsolved cases involving women from NSW’s North Coast has reawakened fears and called into question the effectiveness of local law enforcement’s response over the decades. As of now, all 67 cases remain open investigations.