AC/DC Manager’s Murder Case Re-Opened
More than 20 years after former AC/DC manager Crispin Dye was robbed and beaten to death by unknown assailants, Australian authorities are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of his killers.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Sydney police have redoubled their efforts to find justice for Dye, who died two days after being assaulted in Sydney during the early morning hours of December 23, 1993. The article notes that a witness described seeing "three young men of Pacific Islander appearance" standing over Dye's body after the attack, but homicide detectives have never been able to put together enough evidence to file any charges.
"There are people out there who know those responsible for Mr Dye’s death and we’re hoping this reward may prompt them to get in touch with police," Detective Superintendent Mick Willing explained in a statement. "By all accounts, Crispin Dye was a fun-loving, friendly and decent man, who was robbed of his life far too soon. We are absolutely committed to getting to the bottom of this case and bringing those responsible for an innocent man’s violent death to justice, but we won’t be able to do it without assistance from the public."
Dye managed the band for seven years in the '80s. At the time of his death, he had returned to his native Australia to celebrate the release of his own first album, 'A Heart Like Mine,' released under the stage name Chris Kemp.
The Sydney Morning Herald report notes that Dye's murder took place during a period during which a horrific number of men were killed in the Sydney area by assailants who believed their victims were gay. There's long been speculation that Dye's murder may have been part of those killings, but Willing reiterated that "all the circumstances" surrounding the case indicate that robbery was the motive.
"He was very, very popular," recalled Dye's mother during a recent radio interview. "I don’t think he had any enemies, I really don’t."