Major breakthrough in five-decade cold case

They say the man linked to the killing of Kerryn Tate may be connected to the murders of two other Perth women.

Ms Tate was last seen alive on the morning of December 29, 1979, after spending time with her friends in Cottesloe and Swanbourne at a dance at the North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club the night before.

Her body was found the next day in the Canning Dam catchment area, about 800m south of the Brookton Highway, after forestry workers were called to the area to investigate a small bushfire.

The post-mortem found Ms Tate had suffered severe head and facial injuries from a large piece of wood and had been set on fire.