Hopes reward will help solve murder

PSE Security manager Sandy Sempel said not a day went by when he did not think of the murder of his employee Slawomir Tomczyk almost five years ago.PSE Security manager Sandy Sempel said not a day went by when he did not think of the murder of his employee Slawomir Tomczyk almost five years ago.

By Paul Dunlop
PAKENHAM security manager Sandy Sempel hopes a new $100,000 reward will be the key to finally solving the brutal murder of a prized employee.
Mr Sempel welcomed the Victoria Police move to offer a reward for information leading to the capture of the person – or people – responsible for the death of Slawomir Tomczyk.
“It’s not before time,” Mr Sempel said.
“I hate the thought of anybody getting away with any crime, let alone getting away with murder.”
Mr Tomczyk was a security guard for Mr Sempel’s PSE Security firm.
The body of the Polish national was found in a pool of blood behind a reception centre in Cranbourne on 22 February, 2002.
Police said Mr Tomcyzk had been beaten, tied up and then dragged to an area at the back of the centre.
Mr Tomczyk’s body was discovered by Mr Sempel, who went looking for his employee after he failed to show up at a designated checkin point.
Mr Sempel, who had employed Mr Tomczyk just a few months before his death, said the horrific image of ‘Slavic’s’ battered body would never leave him.
“It’s like it was 10 minutes ago,” Mr Sempel said last week.
“Not a day goes by when I don’t think about it.
“You’ve got to try and move on but it does remain very fresh.”
Mr Tomczyk, 44, had been on duty the night of his death conducting a mobile security patrol in the Berwick, Cranbourne and Narre Warren areas.
The reception centre was one of the premises to be checked on his rounds.
A post mortem showed Mr Tomczyk died of head injuries inflicted by a weapon such as a baseball bat, iron bar or large piece of wood.
On 6 June, 2002, a man was charged with Mr Tomczyk’s murder, however the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew the charge at a later date.
Mr Sempel said he remained confident Mr Tomcyzk’s killer – or killers – would eventually be caught.
“They won’t get away with it forever,” he said.
“People were around at the time, they saw things or heard things.
“It will happen, these mongrels will eventually get caught.”
Mr Tomczyk’s brutal death shocked the local community.
Mr Sempel said his former employee was a kind and gentle man who would go out of his way to help others.
Police said the $100,000 reward would be paid at the discretion of Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon.
All information will be treated as confidential and callers can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.