Gruesome manhunt to find missing remains suspended as police plea for more help in Port Lincoln alleged murder
For nearly five days, emergency services have been on the hunt for Julian Story's missing head after his decapitated body was found on June 19.
Police believe Story was killed and partially dismembered around midnight on Tuesday, June 17 — a day after his 39th birthday — and his body later set alight.
Firefighters found the remains in a unit at Port Lincoln, on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula, when responding to reports of a fire on June 19.
Numerous areas have been searched in and around Port Lincoln including reserves, parks, bushland and the ocean around the pier and bay area, with assistance from State Emergency Service volunteers, South Australia Police (SAPOL) Water Operations Unit divers and local patrols
On Tuesday, SAPOL announced the search has been 'paused' but appeals for information continue.
Story's partner, Tamika Chesser, 34, who was runner-up on reality TV show Beauty And The Geek in 2010, has been charged with his murder.
She is also charged with disposing of human remains to pervert the course of justice and assaulting a police officer and is due to face court again in December.
Police last week pleaded with the local community to help piece together the movements of Chesser, who was reportedly seen walking around Port Lincoln about the time of the alleged murder.
Police are appealing to local residents to review any CCTV or dashcam footage they have which may assist the investigation.
Anyone with any information or CCTV is urged to contact the police.
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ABC News
9 hours ago
- ABC News
Port Lincoln rocked by man's alleged murder by reality TV contestant
While conversation in the coastal community town of Port Lincoln might generally focus on topics such as wind direction and swell, the past few weeks have been different. On June 19, emergency services discovered the body of 39-year-old Julian Story in a unit on the Flinders Highway, Port Lincoln. Police allege Mr Story was murdered by his partner, Tamika Chesser, sometime around midnight on June 17. Ms Chesser, who was a contestant on television show Beauty and the Geek in 2010, was charged with murder. She appeared in Adelaide Magistrates Court on June 27, via video link from James Nash House psychiatric facility. An extensive search by police and emergency services has not recovered Mr Story's head, with the search currently paused. The grisly details of the alleged crime and the reality TV past of the accused have generated intense interest, locally and across the country. The case has been picked up internationally, with American broadcaster CBS covering the allegations. Port Lincoln Mayor Diana Mislov said the impact of the alleged crime was magnified when it happened in a small community such as Port Lincoln. "From a community perspective we're reeling … we're shocked," she said. "How does something like that happen in our beautiful town? It's beyond comprehension. "Julian lived here nearly his whole life, so there are so many connections. She said Mr Story's mother was a prominent volunteer in the community. "She's a beautiful lady who is like family to me," she said. "When something like this impacts a small community like ours, everybody is affected." Ms Mislov said that while she understood the media interest in the story, she was disappointed with the graphic nature of some reporting. "Some of the headlines are really quite graphic," she said. "As a parent, to see something along the lines of 'Where is his head?' splashed on a newspaper is really, really disturbing. "I understand the media need to sell a headline and a story and want to inform everybody. "Kudos to the people I've spoken to that have had empathy for the families involved." From supermarket aisles to takeaway shops, the alleged murder and subsequent search for Mr Story's remains has dominated conversation in recent weeks. Michael Haritos, who runs a popular pizza store, said while the alleged crime came up in dealings with customers, it was important to take some gossip with a grain of salt. "People come into the store and they're talking about it," he said. "You do hear things, but not everything is gospel. He said "everyone" was connected to it. "It's that six degrees of separation … it's probably even less in this town," he said. Schoolyards have not been exempt, with residents finding out information from their kids in the days after the alleged murder. James Blevin, who is chief executive officer of YouTurn, a not-for-profit that focuses on child safety, mental health and suicide prevention, said it was a good idea for parents to dedicate time and attention to conversations with their kids. "I think it's never ideal to expose children to some of the things that the community has been seeing and witnessing and experiencing these last few weeks," he said. "I think time and attention is what parents need to give to their children, to talk through it as much as possible … and staying calm and grounded in those conversations that parents are having. "The Statewide Well-Being Intervention Support Service (SWISS) is accessible online. "It's specific … so people are specifically trained to support schools and communities following distressing incidents such as this." The incident drew South Australian Police's Major Crime, Forensic and Water Operations units to Port Lincoln. The State Emergency Service has also been heavily involved in the search for Mr Story's remains. Residents have also expressed interest in assisting with the search; however, police have preferred information or CCTV footage on Ms Chesser's whereabouts. Volunteer firefighters were among the first responders at the scene. They responded to a neighbour's call about a small fire at the unit. Port Lincoln Parish Priest and friend of the Story family, Paul Bourke, said people were struggling. Ms Mislov also praised first responders and called for a look into the timeliness of mental health services in regional and rural areas. "Hold each other tight. Share stories, share memories, and talk about how its making you feel," Ms Mislov said. "This has been a chance for us all to have a reality check." Ms Chesser will return to court in December.
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Police pause search for remains of alleged Port Lincoln murder victim Julian Story
Police have suspended an "intensive" search for the remains of alleged murder victim Julian Story, with investigators to review CCTV footage before starting the search again. Warning: This story contains details some readers may find distressing. State Emergency Service volunteers, SAPOL's Water Operations Unit and local patrols had been searching the Port Lincoln area over the last week for Mr Story's remains following his alleged murder on June 17. The search has covered reserves, parks, bushland and the ocean around Port Lincoln's pier and bay area, police said. In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, police said the "intensive searching" has been "paused for now but may resume at a later stage". "Investigators are now in the process of reviewing a significant amount of CCTV footage to determine any other areas for searching and may return to Port Lincoln," SAPOL said. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said there was "absolutely" a chance the search will be resumed once investigators review more footage. "We're just reassessing where the best opportunities are for us to locate Julian's remains and provide that level of closure to the people who care about him," he told ABC Radio Adelaide. Last Friday, a suppression order was lifted on the identity of Mr Story's accused murderer, 34-year-old Tamika Chesser. Chesser, who was a contestant on Beauty and the Geek in 2010, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday via video link from psychiatric facility James Nash House. The case has generated widespread media attention, which Commissioner Stevens said can generate "a lot more work" for police. "We focus on doing the job and being as thorough as possible," he said. "But when you do have a case that attracts the level of public interest and media interest, it can generate a lot more work for us in terms of people who are reaching in to provide information because of the awareness of the individuals concerns or the graphic circumstances." Investigators believe Mr Story was killed around midnight on Tuesday, June 17. Police said some of Mr Story's remains were found at a Port Lincoln property after a neighbour raised the alarm about a fire at the unit on June 19. Police also said that Mr Story had been dismembered and officers were yet to locate his head. After releasing CCTV images of Ms Chesser last week, police have also urged residents to review any CCTV or dashcam footage which may assist the investigation. "We know that Tamika did not drive a vehicle and regularly walked around the township of Port Lincoln," Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said in a statement. "We are appealing to anyone who can help us to identify Tamika's movements to please contact police." In a statement provided to police last week, Mr Story's family thanked emergency services for their assistance and the broader community. Ms Chesser will next appear in court in December.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
Major search for man's head paused as police trawl CCTV
A search for a man's decapitated head has been paused as police review CCTV footage to pinpoint the movements of the ex-reality TV star accused of his murder. South Australia Police have been searching for the head of Julian Story, 39, after his dismembered body was found by authorities called to a unit fire at Port Lincoln on June 19. Police allege Mr Story was killed about midnight on June 17 and his head was removed during the dismemberment. Tamika Sueann Rose Chesser, 34, a former Beauty and the Geek contestant, has been charged with his murder after a court revoked an order suppressing her identity on Friday. A police search for Mr Story's head has spanned Port Lincoln reserves, parks, bushland, the ocean, pier and bay areas and involved state emergency service volunteers, water police, divers and local patrols. CCTV footage of Tamika Chesser But investigators on Tuesday said the intensive search had been put on hold while police turned to reviewing a significant amount of CCTV footage to find other locations of interest. Authorities are appealing for any footage the public can share with police to progress their investigation. "Police are trying to track Tamika's movements in the week of the murder, particularly between midnight on Tuesday night and the report of the fire at 3.30pm on Thursday," SA police said in an update. "Major crime detectives have released images of the clothing she was wearing during this time in the hope that it will jog people's memories." Police were releasing details of the "horrific" crime as it was vital for the family of Mr Story to be able to peacefully lay him to rest, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said. "We know that Tamika did not drive a vehicle and regularly walked around the township of Port Lincoln," he said. "We are appealing to anyone who can help us to identify Tamika's movements to please contact police." Police found Mr Story's body after firefighters were called to a Flinders Highway property to investigate reports of a blaze. Chesser, who police said had been in a relationship with Mr Story for several months, was arrested on June 19 after Mr Story's body was found at the couple's home. She was known to walk through back streets and parks in the Port Lincoln area with her dogs. She appeared by video link in court on Friday while being held under order at a forensic mental health facility. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
