Jonathan Mitchell: $500,000 reward offered to help solve cold-case murder of Sydney man found dead after festival

Jack Gramenz
AAP
Jonathan Mitchell was fatally stabbed and beaten in his home. (Supplied/AAP PHOTOS)
Jonathan Mitchell was fatally stabbed and beaten in his home. (Supplied/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

A $500,000 reward is being offered as police appeal for information over the killing of a man in his home more than two decades ago.

Jonathan Mitchell was found dead in the kitchen of his western Sydney house after attending a music festival in December 2003.

The 28-year-old had left the Homebake festival at The Domain and met up with his brother at a Sydney pub, before returning to his Toongabbie home about 7pm.

Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.

Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.

Email Us
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.

He was bashed with a cricket bat and stabbed in the neck, severing his spinal cord.

The bat was later found in a gutter near the house.

An inquest concluded he was likely attacked by a person or persons unknown to him.

The $500,000 reward announced on Friday increases a $100,000 reward for information in place since 2009.

A bedroom in the house was ransacked, with drugs stolen, police said when announcing the previous sum.

It was a “known drug house”, but Mr Mitchell was not believed to have been involved in drug dealing, police said.

He was described as a “nice guy, everyone’s friend, (who) would give his shirt off his back to help anybody”.

NSW Police have offered rewards relating to dozens of deaths, disappearances and other unsolved cases.

They include 40 appeals for information with rewards of $1 million on offer.

Among them are some of the nation’s most high-profile unsolved cases, including the disappearance of toddler William Tyrrell, a fire at Luna Park’s ghost train ride that killed six children and a man, and the murders of three children in a four-month period at Bowraville.

Latest Edition

The Nightly cover for 24-01-2025

Latest Edition

Edition Edition 24 January 202524 January 2025

Snags, beers and bucket hats are back as Australia Day’s popularity returns.