Almost two years after New Zealand firefighter Ian Pullen was killed at Gelnridding in the Hunter, detectives are still urging an anonymous caller who may have crucial information about the case to come forward.
Mr Pullen's body was found on the side of the road at Carrington Street, Glenridding, in the early hours of the morning, September 29 2018, just a day after he arrived to be on standby for work as a water bomber for the Rural Fire Service.
Investigators quickly identified the husband and father from New Zealand as a hit and run victim and police Strike Force Awabakil has been searching for the perpetrator since then.
Investigators believe Mr Pullen was struck by a vehicle between 4am and 5.30am that day. The Hunter's senior police believe that whoever was responsible would know what they have done and have urged them to come forward, but an anonymous caller who phoned police shortly after the incident may have crucial knowledge of what happened.
Police say a the caller told them that the vehicle involved in the incident returned to the scene, where the occupants exited the car and approached Mr Pullen while he was still alive.
A $350,000 reward remained on offer for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Mr Pullen's death.
Police want anyone with information about what happened in the Carrington Street area in Glenridding in the 90 minutes leading up to 5.30am on September 29 to contact them.
"We know that Mr Pullen was struck by a vehicle and we also know that the person driving that vehicle would be well aware and they've decided not to stop and render assistance and obviously not report it to authorities," Superintendent Gillies told the Newcastle Herald in 2019.
