Key witness in Peter Falconio's murder trial remembers Bradley John Murdoch as ‘bad, bad man'
Murdoch, one of Australia's most notorious murderers, died of terminal throat cancer earlier this week, aged 67. In an eerie coincidence, his death came just one day after the 24th anniversary of him infamously killing the British backpacker.
Greg Dick was one of the last people to see Mr Falconio alive on July 14, 2001, before the 28-year-old was shot in the head by Murdoch while travelling on the Stuart Highway north of Barrow Creek, about 208km north of Alice Springs.
Mr Dick is also one of the few men to publicly back Murdoch. Yet in an interview with the Herald Sun on Saturday, the 79-year-old said there was one thing he was sure of: 'He did it. I think that's the case.'
'He's a p**ck of a man, and that's it. That's all there is to say,' Mr Dick said.
'He's just a bad, bad man.'
Until recently, Mr Dick ran the Aileron Roadhouse where Mr Falconio and his girlfriend Joanne Lees ate their final meal together.
Despite being a witness for the prosecution at Murdoch's 2005 trial – which concluded with him being found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict and sentenced to life in prison – Mr Dick went on to cast doubt over the verdict.
'I still reckon they've jailed the wrong man,' he said as recently as 2016, claiming that an unidentified 'fella' who was 'definitely not Bradley John Murdoch' may have been responsible.
The theory was one of many floated by former defence lawyer Andrew Fraser in Murder in the Outback: The Falconio and Lees Mystery, an AACTA-award winning, four-episode documentary that explored the circumstances of the case – and the unanswered questions over it – two decades on.
The location of Mr Falconio's body – a secret Murdoch took to the grave – remains the biggest mystery, one that police in the Northern Territory have vowed to solve.
In a statement acknowledging Murdoch's death on Wednesday morning, NT Police said it was 'deeply regrettable that (he) died without, as far as we are aware, ever disclosing the location of Peter Falconio's remains'.
'His silence has denied the Falconio family the closure they have so long deserved,' the statement read. 'Our thoughts are with the Falconio family in the United Kingdom, whose grief continues.'
Last month, NT Police Acting Commander Mark Grieve made a renewed appeal for information on the whereabouts of Mr Falconio's body, offering a potential reward of up to $500,000.
Authorities 'still hold out hope that someone will be able to provide some vital information to assist in this search', Acting Commander Grieve said at a press conference.
'We're asking for anyone that may believe they have information that can assist to please come forward and contact police … We recognise the passage of time that's transpired, however it's never too late to reach out and at least start that conversation.'
Murdoch family's staggering statement
Despite his crimes, Murdoch's family issued a gushing statement in the wake of his death, describing him as 'much more than the headlines' and noting he had 'always denied responsibility (for Mr Falconio's murder) from his arrest until his death'.
'When given the opportunity, Brad was a devoted father, father-in-law, and proud Poppy who never missed a chance to brag about his grandchildren,' the statement read.
'He was a beloved brother, uncle, and friend. Throughout his years in custody, Brad was well liked and respected by fellow inmates and correctional officers alike. He earned the affectionate title of 'Uncle' from many Indigenous prisoners, recognising his efforts to offer guidance, support, and practical help whenever he could.'
They claimed Murdoch had a 'generous spirit' and was 'a gentle giant with a heart of gold'.
'Above all, he was someone who, no matter the circumstances, always extended a helping hand to those around him,' the statement continued.
'We understand that the public perception of Bradley will always be shaped by his conviction, but our intention is simply to share the man we knew, the version of him that was rarely, if ever, seen beyond our family and close friends.
'He was deeply loved. He will be deeply missed.'
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