For four decades, the windswept beauty of Phillip Island has concealed a darkness that refuses to dissipate. It is a story that has whispered through the coastal enclave since 1986—a tale of betrayal, brutal violence, and a disappearance that defies explanation. Yet, according to celebrated true crime author Vikki Petraitis, the official narrative of the infamous “Scarlet Letter” case may be built on a foundation of sand. With the release of her explosive new book, The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron, and the coincidental discovery of unidentified human remains, the island’s oldest ghosts are once again demanding to be heard.
The tragedy dates back to the early hours of September 23, 1986, when 23-year-old Beth Barnard was discovered deceased in her farmhouse. The crime scene was singularly disturbing, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit community that reverberate to this day. The victim had been subjected to a violent assault, but it was the specific nature of the crime that drew immediate comparisons to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s literary classic. A large letter “A” had been carved into her chest—a grim biblical allusion to adultery—before her body was carefully covered with a quilt.
Police investigators almost immediately zeroed in on a suspect: Vivienne Cameron, a 35-year-old local mother of two. Vivienne was the wife of Fergus Cameron, a prominent landowner who had employed Beth as a farmhand. Fergus admitted to an affair with Beth, claiming this infidelity led to a confrontation with his wife the night prior. When Vivienne’s vehicle was found abandoned near a bridge, authorities concluded she had taken Beth’s life in a fit of jealous rage before taking her own.
However, Petraitis argues that this conclusion was drawn with haste, bypassing critical forensic inconsistencies. “Right from the start, there was a tunnel vision focusing on Vivienne,” Petraitis notes. She points to the perplexing lack of forensic evidence in Vivienne’s getaway vehicle. Given the visceral nature of the crime scene, the absence of significant biological transfer in the car is a discrepancy that has never been adequately explained. Furthermore, the psychological profile contradicts the crime scene; a killer intent on branding their victim with a “Scarlet Letter” for the world to see is unlikely to then tenderly cover the body with a blanket.
Petraitis’s unrelenting pursuit of the truth—a journey spanning over thirty years—has unearthed new witness testimonies that suggest a second person may have been involved, or that Vivienne herself may have been a victim rather than a villain. The author describes her latest work as a “scream into the void,” a desperate bid to force authorities to look past the convenient “jealous wife” trope.
The mystery deepened recently with the discovery of human remains at a Silverleaves property. While police have been cautious to avoid linking the find to active investigations, the timing strikes a chord of eerie irony. For Petraitis, it feels as though the story is refusing to be relegated to history.
Ultimately, this is a quest for human dignity. For decades, Beth Barnard has been remembered merely as “the mistress,” and Vivienne Cameron as “the murderer.” Petraitis seeks to restore their humanity: Beth as a young agricultural graduate with a bright future, and Vivienne as a devoted mother and community pillar. Until the full truth is unearthed, the shadows over Phillip Island will remain long and cold.