The death of Miss Graham may not be directly linked to the Somerton Man, but may well be linked to George Marshall's death.
Gwenneth Dorothy Graham (26) was a hairdresser and had been a principle witness at the inquest into George Marshall's death. The Inquest had taken place in Sydney on August 15th, 1945. Miss Graham was found just 13 days later lying face down in the bath with both her wrists cut. Although the cuts to her wrists were deep her death was from drowning.
Gwenneth Graham had been friendly with George Marshall for about 4 years whilst he was working in Sydney for the Prices Commission. He later returned to Perth, West Australia. She had met up with him again when he was back in Sydney, and the pair had dinner together May the 19th.
George had frequently told Gwenneth that she should set up her own business as a hairdresser, it was at the dinner they had together on the 19th that George told her he had sent her a cheque for £200. The cheque arrived on the Monday. Gwenneth tried to return the cheque to George Marshall by registered letter but when the cheque was returned to her she put it into her own account.
At the time of her death Gwenneth was living with a man by the name of Pt. Helmut H Hendon. Gwenneth had met Mr Hendon in January the year before. George Marshall had warned Gwenneth about Mr Hendon, calling him 'evil and ruthless'. Shortly before her apparent suicide, Gwenneth had confided in her mother just how true George Marshall's warning had been.
According to the testimony given by Helmut Hendon on the night of her death, he and Gwenneth had been out and they had returned home at about 11pm. At about 1.30am she had said "I want to have a hot bath. Leave me alone, I want to think". Later Mr Hendon had called out to her but got no reply. On going into the bath room he saw her lying face down in the bath, the water stained with her blood.
Police Sargent Marsh stated that there was a new cake of soap that had not been used and a safety razor blade beside the bath, he added that the girl's garments were placed tidily one on top of the other in a corner of the bathroom. Miss Graham had apparently been very worried over the evidence she had given at George Marshall's Inquest.
So, was this a suicide? or was this another murder, concealed as a suicide?
If it was a murder what was the motive? Did Helmut Hendon kill her to steal the money George Marshall had given her to start her own Hairdressing business? or was there something even more sinister going on?