WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains the name and image of a person who has died.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
'Justice' for Michelle.
Members of the Bright family broke down as the guilty verdict that sent Craig Rumsby to jail for the 1999 murder of schoolgirl Michelle Bright was delivered in Supreme Court in Dubbo on Friday.
![Greg Bright, Loraine Bright and Les Bright outside the court house. Picture by Amy McIntyre. Greg Bright, Loraine Bright and Les Bright outside the court house. Picture by Amy McIntyre.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GHcbaSNijNeVS4SULWDX8n/3d0143be-9a3d-4267-8be7-dca3ad2673ea.JPG/r0_422_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Wearing purple and yellow, Michelle's favourite colours, her mother Loraine and brother Les spoke outside the courthouse following the verdict. They said the family was left shocked and amazed after the jury returned with the decision.
"I just broke down, I think we all did," Loraine Bright said.
"I could hear people crying behind me, and it's not just us but all her friends and our friends and they've waited for this too."
It's been "24 years, four months and three days", Michelle's brother Les said, since the family last saw the Gulgong schoolgirl. Her body was found in grass off Barneys Reef Road in the afternoon on March 2, 1999 after she was reported missing a few days prior on February 28.
Miss Bright was last seen leaving a friend's 15th birthday party in Gulgong just before 12.30am on February 27, 1999.
![Michelle Bright. Miss Bright has been identified with the permission of her family. Picture supplied. Michelle Bright. Miss Bright has been identified with the permission of her family. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GHcbaSNijNeVS4SULWDX8n/14e7274b-9fc6-4dd3-9f2c-30ad307b48a2.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Rumsby was arrested in August 2020 and charged with murder and a string of other charges.
He pleaded not guilty to those charges when the Supreme Court trial began on April 26, 2023 before Justice Robert Allan Hulme in Dubbo.
After an eight week trial, on Friday he was found guilty.
Members and friends of the Bright family embraced after the verdict, while police officers responsible for the massive and lengthy investigation also cried and hugged in the courtroom.
"I've waited 24 years for this and now Michelle can rest in peace and we can go back to some sort of a normal life after this," Loraine said.
She later broke down into tears when recalling the moment the verdict was delivered.
"I think I was in shock, it's something that I've never ... something after 24 years ... were we ever going to get this verdict? The emotion ... I can't explain how I felt, it was amazing," Loraine added.
And equally emotional Les thanked the overwhelming support from the community.
"Especially from Gulgong and Mudgee, but from all over and from people you don't expect as well," he added.
Loraine said now, two decades after last seeing Michelle, her daughter would finally be able to rest peacefully.
![The Bright family and their friends and family leave the Dubbo court house following Friday's verdict. Picture by Amy McIntyre. The Bright family and their friends and family leave the Dubbo court house following Friday's verdict. Picture by Amy McIntyre.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GHcbaSNijNeVS4SULWDX8n/92342a98-7549-429c-b536-9add636d7fc3.JPG/r0_422_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
She hoped, as the family has always done, Michelle Bright would widely be remembered as a beautiful 17-year-old who lived life to the fullest.
"She loved everything in life, animals, you name it, she was just a beautiful daughter and a beautiful sister and we miss her so much," her mother said.
Miss Bright has been identified with the permission of her family.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.