Million-Dollar Reward Offered in 1981 Cold Case Murder of Haroula Kipouridou

A $1 million reward is being offered by Victoria Police for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the 1981 murder of Haroula Kipouridou, a 25-year-old woman from Richmond, Melbourne. The renewed appeal for information comes more than four decades after her death.

The Case

Haroula Kipouridou was last seen alive in the early hours of Friday, July 3, 1981. At the time, she worked as a singer at a hotel on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy [1]. She was dropped off by two associates in front of the Elizabeth Street housing tower in Richmond around 2:00 AM. Approximately 30 minutes later, her body was discovered on the floor of a lift inside the building [3].

Detectives determined that Kipouridou had been severely physically and sexually assaulted during the attack [1]. Despite an extensive investigation, including interviews with numerous individuals, police were unable to identify a suspect [2].

Previous Investigations and Findings

A coroner returned an open finding in 1983 [1]. While several individuals were investigated as potential suspects, and media reports in the early 1980s mentioned a specific person of interest, authorities have confirmed there was never sufficient evidence to develop an arrest [1].

Renewed Appeal and Reward

On February 23, 2026, Victoria Police announced the increase of the reward to $1 million, payable at the discretion of the Chief Commissioner of Police, for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible [4]. Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Prados emphasized the importance of solving the case for Kipouridou’s family, stating, “The people who are left behind, who loved Haroula, that’s why we do it” [3].

Police are urging anyone with information, no matter how modest, to come forward. They believe someone may have information that could assist bring closure to this decades-old case [3].