Mr Russell was last seen as he bought a birthday card for his father at a William Street newsagency on June 2, 2009.

He was just 23.

It was initially treated as a missing persons case, but suspicions of foul play arose. Following a lengthy police investigation, Mr Russell’s one-time friend, Tony Simmons, was charged with his murder.

But after a judge-alone trial spanning 14 weeks and evidence from 53 witnesses, the Supreme Court of NSW last year found Simmons not guilty of the murder.

In handing down his verdict, Justice Peter Hamill said the evidence he heard during the trial caused him to have “grave suspicions” that Simmons killed Mr Russell, however, the timing of the events and the possibility Simmons was big-noting himself to undercover police officers caused Justice Hamill to have both substantial and reasonable doubt.

It was for these reasons that he found Simmons not guilty of Mr Russell’s murder.

Yesterday, Mr Russell’s stepmother Suzanne Wallace and his father Bruce Herbert said they would never give up hope that one day they would be able to lay Andrew to rest.

“I don’t think people understand how hard it is. Not a day goes by that we don’t think of Andrew,” Ms Wallace said.

“And June 2 is always hard. It’s Bruce’s birthday and he tries to be happy for the grandkids, but all we’re really thinking about is Andrew.”

Ms Wallace said she is certain there are people in Bathurst who know where Mr Russell’s body can be found.

“Do the right thing, ease our pain and ease your conscience,” she said.

The inquest is scheduled for September 14 at the State Coroner’s Court in Glebe. One day has been set aside for the hearing.

Anyone with information on the alleged murder of Andrew Russell is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

SUZANNE Wallace hoped she could “get people talking” about the disappearance of her stepson when she took a home-made sign to Sydney’s Martin Place last week, and stood behind the Channel 7 Sunrise window while the breakfast show was being filmed.

But instead she got asked to move on by security who told her she had “made her point”.

Last Thursday – seven years to the day since Andrew Russell was last seen alive – Ms Wallace made a sign saying: Seven years ago today Andrew Russell was murdered in Bathurst. No justice. Help us put our son to rest.

She stood in Martin Place with the sign for about an hour before a security guard said she couldn’t stand where the camera was filming.

Ms Wallace said she had planned to stand there all day in the hope it might start a conversation about the whereabouts of her son’s remains.

“In the hour I was there a lot of people read the sign and one lady took a picture of it,” she said.

“But then the security guard came up and said I couldn’t hold the sign up any more.

“All I wanted to do was get people to start talking about it in the hope that someone comes forward and lets us know where Andrew’s body is.”