Ray McQueen, a man once accused of poisoning his pregnant wife nearly four decades ago, has revised his account of his relationship with a teenage girl central to the case. McQueen’s latest statements differ significantly from those he gave to Victorian police during the 1986 investigation.

In 1987, a coroner concluded that McQueen had murdered his wife, Rosslyn, 30, by administering strychnine. At the time, McQueen was reportedly infatuated with Donna Manallack, who was 16 and acted as a babysitter. Evidence from the inquiry indicated that McQueen had groomed Donna over an approximately two-year period before Rosslyn’s death.

During the initial murder inquiry, Donna told detectives she was in love with McQueen and that they had kissed, although both she and McQueen denied having had sexual relations. McQueen acknowledged to police that he had kissed Donna on “special occasions” before Rosslyn’s death and had kissed her “passionately” in the weeks afterward.

Records from a 1986 police interview reveal that McQueen described Donna as his friend’s daughter and conceded a romantic relationship had developed between them. When questioned about the nature of their involvement and whether Donna’s parents were aware, McQueen stated, “You could call it that,” and suggested her parents had at least guessed the situation.

Donna’s mother, Glenys Manallack, described McQueen as a predator who exploited her daughter’s vulnerability. She recalled that her family had trusted McQueen deeply and expressed regret over how he took advantage of that trust.

Rosslyn McQueen was found dead at her home near Bendigo, Victoria, on April 1, 1986. Initially, her death was not treated as suspicious, but toxicology reports released three months later confirmed poisoning by strychnine. McQueen was charged with murder in July 1986 but was never tried after the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to proceed with the case.

When approached recently, McQueen denied recalling ever kissing Donna, a stark contrast to his detailed account during the original investigation. At that time, he described kissing Donna passionately several times following Rosslyn’s death and discussed their mutual desire to be together. Donna had told police the first kiss occurred on a neighboring property, with a subsequent kiss at the McQueen residence while Rosslyn was present in another room.

Following the murder charge and prior to public inquest hearings in Bendigo in April 1987, McQueen and Donna parted ways. The case remains a topic of public interest, particularly given the contrasting narratives and unresolved questions surrounding the events.