Abby-Lee Honeysett remembers Gulgong as the sort of place where kids would ride their bikes until the streetlights came on.

That was until the day in 1999 when 17-year-old Michelle Bright was murdered .

Just nine years old at the time, Ms Honeysett vividly recalls the impact it had on the western NSW community.

"Living and being outside all changed for us when Michelle was murdered," she said.

"As a child, watching your family try to navigate sudden heartbreak, grief and loss was confusing and intense."

The case remained cold for nearly two decades, until Craig Rumsby was found guilty of the teenager's murder in 2023 and sentenced to 32 years behind bars.

Ms Honeysett said her mother Kim was like a sister to Michelle's mum Loraine Bright.

The stories she heard around the kitchen

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