Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Leigh BowenPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen who was killed in the National Crime Authority (NCA) bombing in 1994.
In March 1994 a parcel bomb ripped through the National Crime Authority offices in Adelaide, killing one officer. The explosion killed NCA Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen and seriously wounded lawyer Peter Wallis. One man, Domenic Perre, was charged with murder over the attack but the Director of Public Prosecutions decided against proceeding with the case because of a lack of evidence. Later, in a 1999 coronial inquest, then coroner Wayne Chivell found that Mr Perre had indeed made and sent the bomb. But neither Mr Perre nor anyone else has ever faced charges over the killing. A $1 million reward has been offered for information leading to a conviction in the case.
Location
| Address: | 124 Waymouth Street, Former NCA Office, Adelaide, 5000 |
|---|---|
| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -34.925917 Long: 138.594974 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Crime |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 02-March-1994 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 02-March-1994 |
Dedication
In honour and memory of Geoffrey Leigh Bowen
Detective Sergeant - Western Australia Police
Special Constable - South Australia Police
Senior Investigator - National Crime Authority - Adelaide
Tragically murdered Adelaide 2nd March, 1994
On 2 March, 1994, an explosion occured on the 12th floor of the National Crime Authority (NCA) office in Waymouth Street, Adelaide. traglcally killing Senior NCA Investigator Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen, at the same time grievously injuring a second NCA member and causing extensive damage to the NCA offices.
The explosion was the result of a parcel bomb sent to the NCA office with the callous and premeditated intent of targeting and killing Detective Sergeant Bowen, who at the time was involved in high level investigations into Italian organised crime in Australia. On 11 March, 1994, Domenic Perre was charged with his murder, but the Director of Public Prosecutions did not proceed with the case due to the then lack of evidence.
Detective Sergeant Bowen's murder having stunned and effected South Australians and the South Australia Police, remained one of the States highest-profile crimes. Investigations never ceased and in February, 2018, following the largest and most comprehensive cold case review ever undertaken by SAPOL, Domenic Perre was re-arrested and again charged with Detective Sergeant Bowen's murder. In 2019, the case is waiting determination by the courts.
Detective Sergeant Bowen was 36 years of age, married, with two young sons and was on secondment to the NCA from the Western Australia Police. His murder schocked the whole of the Australian community and brought horrendous grief to his wife, young children, family and friends as well as the NCA, Western Australian and general police fraternity.
Western Australia Police Commissioner Chirs Dawson recently stated, "Geoff`s memory will always remain with us". In 2019, Detective Sergeant Bowen is honoured on the wall of remembrance at the National Police Memorial, Canberra. His sons are now serving Western Australia police officers.
