Bradley Murdoch, killer of British backpacker Peter Falconio, dies

Times

5 days ago

The man who killed the British backpacker Peter Falconio in the Australian outback more than 20 years ago has died aged 67.
Bradley Murdoch, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2019, died in hospital in Alice Springs while under the watch of prison guards.
Murdoch had been serving a life sentence for the killing of 28-year-old Falconio, and the assault and attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend, Joanne Lees. His death comes a day after the 24th anniversary of the murder.
Falconio's body has never been found. Murdoch always maintained his innocence.
In July 2001, Falconio and Lees, both from Yorkshire, were travelling in Australia's Northern Territory when they were ambushed by Murdoch on the Stuart Highway, an isolated road that runs through the centre of Australia.
Murdoch pulled up beside them claiming to have seen sparks coming from their campervan.
He shot Falconio in the head as he inspected the vehicle, before forcing Lees into his vehicle and binding her wrists with cable ties.
Lees managed to escape, hiding in the outback for hours before flagging down a passing truck.
In December 2005 Murdoch was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for at least 28 years.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Murdoch was likely to have disposed of the backpacker's body somewhere in the vast 1,200-mile expanse of desert between Alice Springs and Broome in Western Australia.
The victim's father, Luciano Falconio, said he and his wife, Joan, had spent two decades tormented by not knowing their son's final resting place.
Murdoch lodged several unsuccessful appeals over the years, with Australia's highest court refusing to hear his case in 2007.
Last month, police announced a A$500,000 (£243,000) reward for information leading to the discovery of Falconio's remains.
Murdoch had been moved to palliative care last month.