Mystery man, $100,000 and news clippings: Cold case gets fresh lead

Images of a man at Altona Train Station wearing black clothes, sunglasses and white shoes were released with the hope a member of the public could identify the unknown figure.

Detective senior constable Matthew Noonan, who has worked on the case for 12 years, said "all we need is the right piece of information from the right person".

"Over the years we have followed up hundreds of information reports and been through countless hours of CCTV to try and find the person responsible," he said.

Investigators urged that there was "nothing to indicate the man was involved in Jill's death, however police have never been able to identify him and hope to speak to him in the event he can provide any further avenues of enquiry".

Jill Brookes was attacked in her second-hand bookshop in the Melbourne beachside suburb of Altona on July 20, 2012.

She was beaten severely and found in a pool of blood by a fellow trader in Altona's Harrington Square shopping precinct around 5pm.

Ms Brookes, then 61-year-old, was rushed to hospital but never recovered from her brain injuries.

She died nine years later in March 2021.

Detective senior constable Noonan said police hadn't given up "trying to get to the bottom of who was responsible for the assault on Jill and why".

A $100,000 reward was announced in February 2014 as investigators urged those with information to come forward.

The reward came after a note was anonymously delivered to the Altona North Police Station in May 2013 with information about the assault.

The note was written using letters cut from a newspaper as well as an article about the attack, clipped from the same edition.

The man was caught on CCTV delivering the letter but he was never successfully identified.

Detectives believe "the letter may hold the key to the investigation".

Police released pictures of an unidentified man who was seen in the Altona area on the day Ms Brookes was assaulted.

The man was first seen walking into the Altona Railway Station just before 3.25pm on July 20, 2012 and caught a train to Westona railway Station, getting off just after 3.30pm.

A witness said they saw a man fitting the same description walking along Maidstone Street, Altona about 3.30pm.

Police are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area between 3-5pm on the day as well as anyone else who may have information about the attack.

Detective senior constable Noonan said he understood a significant amount of time had passed but was "still hopeful that this case can be solved".

"Jill's family have never understood why this happened to her and sadly, we have never been in a position to give them the answers despite a significant investigation," he said.

"Jill suffered life threating injuries during the assault, and those injuries had an enormous impact on her quality of life up until she died."

The $100,000 reward remains available for information leading to the arrest and subsequent conviction of the person or people responsible for the assault.

The Director of Public Prosecutions may consider granting indemnification from prosecution to any person who provides information about the identity of the principal offender or offenders.

Anyone with information about the incident or the identity of the man in the images is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppers.com.au