Details

HOMICIDE detectives are turning the heat back on the small farming community of Tallandoon, as they reopen the case in April 2012 and double the reward for a farmer's unsolved murder 18 years ago.

Tallandoon farmer David Beer, 54, was found slumped at the steering wheel of his tractor with gunshot wounds on February 7, 1994. Herald Sun

Tallandoon farmer David Beer, 54, was found by a neighbour slumped at the steering wheel of his tractor with gunshot wounds to his chest on February 7, 1994.

The well-known real estate agent was last seen on his Lockhart Gaps Rd property at 5pm the day before, slashing grass along the roadside.

But despite an extensive police investigation and the initial $50,000 reward offered, the father-of-two's death remains unsolved.

The rifle used to kill him has also never been found.

Homicide Squad Detective Inspector John Potter said when Mr Beer's death was reopened late last as part of a routine review of cold cases, encouraging leads were uncovered.

"What we identified was that there were some aspects of the case that we believed are suggesting it's very solvable," Det-Inspector Potter said.

"We're appealing for those people who actually know what happened to now come forward and give the family some closure."

The squad followed unsuccessful leads interstate when it reopened the case in 2005, but the original Mitta Mitta Valley area is again where police are concentrating their investigation.

"We're going back to concentrate on the local area,'' he said.

"We need information from those that are still in the area that know what happened and there are people there that do know."

Det-Inspector Potter said police hoped that by doubling the reward to $1000,000 it could draw out those with valuable information.

"For 18 years the Beer family have had to live without knowing what happened to their loved one and we would like to provide them with the closure they desperately," he said.

A Coroner's inquest in 1999 returned an open finding to Mr Beer's death.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Reward information

$100,000