After hearing 10 days of evidence over two hearings in Bathurst, State Coroner Mary Jerram yesterday found only that Janine Vaughan disappeared at 3.47am on December 7, 2001 from the corner of George and Keppel Streets, Bathurst.

Ms Jerram found Ms Vaughan had been murdered by a person or persons unknown, and her body disposed of in such a means is has not been found.

Ms Jerram said she handed down the finding with “great sadness and feeling for Janine’s family and friends, who have demonstrated by their presence, their words and actions their ongoing love for Janine who disappeared eight years ago”.

Ms Jerram drew heavily from the submissions of counsel assisting, Chris Ronalds SC, agreeing with Ms Ronalds that Ms Vaughan did not commit suicide or simply run away.

Ms Jerram said Ms Vaughan entered a red car at 3.47am on December 7, 2001 and has not ben seen since. The vehicle of interest remains unidentified, as does its driver.

Ms Jerram said it was clear that earlier in the evening Janine Vaughan had misplaced her handbag.

Evidence to the inquest last week showed Matthew Dalley, a bouncer working at the Metro Tavern, moving Ms Vaughan’s handbag behind a board on the staircase where it remained unobserved despite Ms Vaughan, Jordan and Wonita Morris and Mark Wright searching for it.

Ms Jerram found there was no evidence linking the loss of the handbag with her disappearance.

She said, however, it was difficult to accept this was a total coincidence. “At this point we can not know,” she said.

In the opening week of the inquest in June, Ms Jerram, the family and legal representatives involved in the case conducted a “view” with Wonita and Jordan Morris.

Ms Jerram said the view replicated the distance and light conditions of the time when the latter of the two, and Mr Bryant from his flat upstairs at the Park Hotel, saw Ms Vaughan enter the car.

“At least some of those present, including myself, were unable categorically to identify the car used as a demonstration, as to its colour,” she said.

Ms Jerram said while she found the vehicle was almost certainly red, its particular shade remains doubtful with witnesses Bryant and Boreland describing the car as a “pinky red”.

The issue of earlier stalking incidents involving Ms Vaughan was raised last week at the inquest. These incidents included anonymous notes, lingerie, hang up calls and a break in at Ms Vaughan’s house. Ms Jerram found while there is no evidence to suggest a link with the disappearance, it cannot be entirely discounted.

A day-to-day work diary used by Ms Vaughan at Ed Harry’s – which had been handed to police – also consumed Ms Jerram’s attention.

Ms Jerram said said she believed it had notations about former policeman Brad Hosemans who had the opportunity and perhaps motive to make the diary disappear.

However, she acknowledged there was no direct evidence or information to show the diary was ever in the possession of Mr Hosemans or he was even aware of its existence in mid December 2001 or subsequently. “It’s disappearance remains one of the flaws in the initial investigation,” she said.

A missing knife, covered in blood and hair, that was handed into police days after Janine Vaughan’s disappearance also remained unexplained.