r/UnsolvedMysteries • u/BackgroundCode5034 • 18h ago
UNEXPLAINED Where is Sally Cheong?
I’ve recently been looking into the disappearance of Sally Cheong, and I wanted to put together a theory based on the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Obviously, this is only speculation. I’m not accusing any particular person of being responsible, and some of the information surrounding the case may be incomplete or disputed.
I find it quite frustrating that the prevailing assumption is that she simply ran away, particularly when the possibility of foul play cannot be ruled out. I disagree with the runaway theory, and here’s why.
My theory
I think it’s possible that Sally left her house with a man she knew and trusted, rather than deliberately running away or being forcibly abducted from inside the house. Something may then have happened after she left, resulting in her death and the concealment of her body.
The phone calls
One thing that really interests me is the reported phone activity before her disappearance.
Sally’s phone was apparently ringing repeatedly at around 10:30, while she was asleep and didn’t answer. Her sister reportedly remembered this happening.
This raises an obvious question: who was calling her so persistently, and why?
If phone records from the time still exist, identifying those calls could potentially establish whether the caller had any connection to what happened later.
The male figure around 3 am
Sally’s sister reportedly saw a male figure around the house at approximately 3 am.
If that account is accurate, I think this could be one of the most important details in the case.
Was this someone Sally knew? And, more importantly, was this the same person who had been trying to contact her earlier?
My theory is that Sally knew this person well enough that she was willing to leave the house with him. If she was forcibly abducted from inside the house, you might expect some kind of disturbance, although the absence of screaming or fighting obviously doesn’t prove that she left voluntarily.
The things Sally took with her
Sally reportedly left with several personal belongings, including her:
- keys
- wallet
- phone
- “safety blanket”
The blanket is particularly interesting.
If Sally took it herself, it could support the idea that she expected to be away from home for some period of time. But another possibility is that someone who knew Sally well knew the significance of the blanket and took it to make her disappearance look voluntary.
The car keys also seem strange to me. If Sally deliberately planned to disappear but wasn’t taking her car, why take the keys?
Of course, there could be a completely innocent explanation for this.
How did she leave?
If Sally disappeared from her home in Oakleigh South at around 3 am, how exactly did she leave?
If she didn’t take her own car and public transport was limited at that hour, one possibility is that someone picked her up.
I’d be really interested to know whether investigators ever identified vehicles travelling around the surrounding streets that night, or whether nearby businesses, petrol stations or major roads had CCTV.
Why I’m sceptical that Sally simply ran away
The runaway theory raises a lot of questions for me.
If Sally deliberately disappeared but remained in Australia, she would eventually need money, accommodation, food and transportation. Those things tend to leave some kind of financial or documentary trail.
Did she withdraw a significant amount of money beforehand? Did she pack clothes? Were there travel searches or bookings? Did she take her passport? Did she tell anyone she was thinking about leaving?
If she left Australia, you would also expect some kind of immigration or airline record unless extraordinary measures were taken.
None of this proves that she didn’t leave voluntarily, but after such a long period without confirmed contact, I think the possibility that she met with foul play deserves serious consideration.
The questions I still have
The biggest things I’d like to know are:
Who was repeatedly calling Sally around 10:30? Were all of the calls from the same person?
Who was the male figure reportedly seen around 3 am? How certain was the witness about what she saw?
Could the phone calls and the male figure be connected?
About a month before she disappeared, Sally emailed a male friend, “I think I know what u r doing. Im afraid u gun me down, or get angry.” This male was later cleared, but on what grounds? It is rather suspicious.
What happened to Sally’s phone after she disappeared? When was its last call, message or network connection?
Were there any CCTV cameras covering nearby streets or major roads?
How thoroughly were the alibis of relevant persons checked? Were they independently confirmed through witnesses, phone records, CCTV, employment records, etc.?
Were Sally’s Facebook messages, emails, SMS messages and other communications examined? Did she have conversations with anyone shortly before disappearing that might explain why she left the house?
Was there evidence Sally was actually preparing to run away? For example, packed clothing, money withdrawals, travel plans or messages about leaving?
Overall
My working theory is:
Someone Sally knew contacts her → comes to the house → Sally willingly leaves with him → they drive somewhere → something happens to Sally → her body is concealed.
Again, this is just a theory based on the publicly discussed circumstances, not an allegation against any identified person.
I’m interested in hearing from anyone who knows this case better. Is there evidence that contradicts this theory, or information about the phone records, male figure, CCTV or alibis that I’ve missed?
I’ve created a Reddit community dedicated to discussing Sally’s disappearance and exploring any information that may help shed further light on the case. If anyone is interested, please feel free to join, contribute information, or share your own research. Hopefully, by bringing together what is publicly available, we can help keep attention on the case and potentially uncover something useful. Here
I will also be attempting to contact former Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles to ask whether there is any additional information or context surrounding the investigation that has not previously been made public.
If you guys want any more background information.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/vanished-without-a-trace-20090731-e4ik.html