Police are offering a $1 million reward in a bid to solve the mystery behind the brutal murder of a German man more than a decade ago in Sydney's inner west.
Now known as the Valentine's Day murder, the case has so far stumped authorities however police are hopeful new DNA testing could provide new leads in solving the 13-year-long mystery.
The body of 66-year-old Bernd Lehmann was found inside a home unit at Alt Street in Ashfield on the evening of February 14, 2008. A post mortem examination revealed he died from severe head injuries.
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Following the incident, a strike force was formed but no arrests have been made.
In 2018, a forensic review of DNA samples obtained during the initial crime scene was conducted and revealed the samples did not belong to Mr Lehmann.
Instead, they likely belonged to a man with a multi-racial background from European, Middle Eastern and African descent.
The DNA testing also indicated the individual most likely did not have blonde hair or blue eyes.
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Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, said he hopes the reward will bring detectives a step closer to solving the mystery behind Mr Lehmann's death.
"Mr Lehmann was a well-respected member of the community and had been working as a disability carer prior to his murder," Mr Elliott said.
"He was due to leave on a trip to visit a critically ill relative in Germany in the days before his body was found.
"Sadly, he never made it home and we hope the NSW Government's $1 million reward will assist in identifying those responsible for his death."
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Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty, said detectives will continue to explore every line of inquiry in their search for answers.
"Detectives are confident that advances in DNA technology will assist in establishing the offender's identity," he said.
"We are hoping that someone may come forward with additional information that will help detectives solve Mr Lehmann's murder."
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