Murder of Michelle Bright

Michelle Bright was a 17-year-old girl who was found raped and murdered in New South Wales, Australia.

Michelle Bright
Born	Michelle Loraine Bright (1981-06-02)2 June 1981 New South Wales, Australia
Died	2 February 1999(1999-02-02) (aged 17) Gulgong, New South Wales
Cause of death	Undetermined. Homicide
Body discovered	5 February 1999
Resting place	Gulgong General Cemetery, New South Wales, Australia 32.37554°S 149.53111°E / -32.37554; 149.53111 (approximate)
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Student

Last seen returning from a birthday party

She was last seen at 12:45 am on 2 February 1999 by a friend who dropped her off in Mayne Street, Gulgong following a friend's 15th birthday party that day.^[1] The Minister for Police, Michael Daley, announced that the NSW Government offered a reward of $500,000 to solve the murder of Bright, the second-highest reward offered in NSW (the highest being the reward offered for the recovery of William Tyrrell).^[2] The police regarded Bright's death as a horrific crime.^[3]

Arrest of Bright's former neighbour for the murder

On 10 August 2020, the reward was raised to $1,000,000.^[4] The following day, 53-year-old Craig Henry Rumsby, a former neighbour of Bright's, was arrested for her murder, and also an assault with intent to rape against an 18-year-old committed in 1998.^[5]

Trial by jury

On 30 June 2023, Rumsby was found guilty of Bright's murder and the assault on the 18-year-old.^[6][7]

On 7 August 2023, Justice Robert Allan Hulme sentenced Rumsby to 32 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 24 years: Rumsby will be eligible for parole in 2044, at the age of 77.