
Chances of locating Peter Falconio's body remain ‘high' despite passage of time, search expert says
Dr Mark Harrison was the UK's national police search adviser in the early 2000s and is considered a world-leading consultant in 'no-body' homicide cases. He is referred to by the US FBI as 'doctor search' and has been involved in high-profile cases including the searches for Madeline McCann, Daniel Morecambe and William Tyrell.
Harrison became involved in attempts to locate Falconio at the request of the Northern Territory police in 2006, not long after Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of the backpacker's outback murder.
Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email
Murdoch, 67, died of throat cancer on Tuesday. He never confessed to the crime, or spoke about where he left Falconio's body.
Harrison says he produced two separate search strategy reports – paid for by the British government – for the Northern Territory police operation Taskforce Regulus, dated 2007 and 2008, which narrowed the possible disposal sites for Falconio down to five likely locations.
Harrison said he was not aware whether the search strategy he proposed was ever followed; he said the recommendations required international expertise and specialist equipment beyond the typical capacity of Australian policing agencies at the time.
'I was requested by assistant commissioner Graham Kelly in 2006 to review the police searches for the body of Peter Falconio and advise on what, if any, further searches could reasonably be conducted,' Harrison told the Guardian.
'I then undertook, with a team of experts, a detailed review of the case and search records and produced a report over 70 pages in length. I then travelled to Australia in 2008 and spent two weeks in and around the crime scene with my team and the NT police.'
He says the report states in detail where and how further searches could be undertaken, and what specialist 'experts, assets and techniques' would be required.
Guardian Australia understands the NT police revisited Harrison's report about a decade ago, and that there had been some 'excitement' at the time about a breakthrough in the case, but it is unclear whether new searches took place or if the report's recommendations had been followed. The NT police did not respond to questions.
Harrison says further searches would still have 'a reasonably high' chance of locating Falconio's remains. He said technological and forensic advances during the past 15 years, combined with the availability of specialist search techniques, meant more could be done.
He said he believes the 2007 and 2008 reports are still the best information for authorities to use to find Falconio.
'All those locations are grounded in the intelligence that we have: the statements of evidence and forensics that were collected by the NT police; the behavioural, geographical and geological profiling by my team; and that each site has been physically visited in daytime and night-time and assessed for its body disposal attributes,' Harrison said.
'I consider the NT police have worked tirelessly to locate the remains of victim Peter Falconio and I would very much welcome the opportunity to discuss with them the search strategy report I completed for them in 2008 and how further search activity might be undertaken.'
Harrison is a specialist in geo-forensics – the 'science of search' – which combines policing and law-enforcement profiling techniques with geological ones. He is also a former head of forensic services and intelligence for the Australian Federal Police, and is the only person to have a PhD in and international casework experience on no-body homicide.
Sign up to Breaking News Australia
Get the most important news as it breaks
after newsletter promotion
He says he has worked on more than 300 such cases and recently helped the FBI develop its own specialist search capabilities.
Harrison says he is not critical of the Northern Territory police, and that policing agencies typically do not have the highly specialised expertise or equipment required to conduct such searches. He recounts cases where a body was located in an area that had previously been searched repeatedly.
Much of the Northern Territory's recent efforts to locate Falconio's remains had been premised on the idea that a confession by Murdoch – who maintained his innocence until his death – or some other information might reveal the burial site.
Those efforts included 'destabilisation' tactics to prevent Murdoch from settling in prison; 'no body, no parole' laws that would have denied him release without information leading to the discovery of Falconio's remains; and most recently the announcement of a $500,000 reward for new information.
Harrison says it was unlikely that Murdoch – even if he had confessed – could have led police to the disposal site.
'Some may believe that because Northern Territory is vast then ipso facto it's really difficult to find people. The belief is that people will exploit that vastness to hide bodies but body disposal doesn't work that way.
'The idea was that they could shortcut that and get a confession and then X marks the spot.
'But again the behavioural profile that we provided to them was that he would never confess, would never give you the location … but in addition we further added that it's highly unlikely that he would be able to give you the location, because it was a functionary disposal.
'So this is where our understanding of human behaviour and the volume of cases and research that the British police and FBI have on 'body disposal' can be applied.
'These were used along with a detailed behavioural profile of Murdoch to identify likely body disposal areas he would have chosen following this unplanned homicide, even if he was on amphetamines and drug affected, as his focus wasn't on disposing a body to come back to.'
Harrison also says he is unsure whether Falconio's family was aware of his search strategy reports, though it would be standard practice in the cases he reviews.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Real estate agent turns on his industry to blast 'fake' tactics being used to fool buyers and drive up prices
A real estate agent has hit out at the 'fake' tactics used by some industry colleagues, which has led to Aussies having a less than flattering perception of the sector. Jordan Bulmer, 30, is a sales agent at McGrath in Terrigal, on the NSW Central Coast, and he's set on exposing some of the hated tactics used by his colleagues. First and foremost, the agent took to TikTok to address the 'fake offer' strategy. He blasted the trick as being increasingly used by some in the industry to drive up the price of a property. Mr Bulmer said he's 'not into this' as he hit out at those who use this tactic. 'The minute a person makes an offer there is suddenly another offer on the table, I don't know why agents do this,' he said. 'If someone comes to me and says, 'Has there been an offer on the property?' and there hasn't, I say, 'No, there hasn't'. I haven't found the right person, there doesn't have to be an offer on every property.' Mr Bulmer said he would then discuss with his client the options if they were interested in buying the property. He stated he would want to find a price where 'everybody's happy' and warned other agents against 'fake offers'. The agent was flooded with comments from Aussies who have subjected to this underhand tactic. One commented: 'We had an agent try that scam so we told the particular agent great sell it to them. 'Then for the next couple of days they kept calling saying come on let's make the sale. We them blocked their number.' 'I had this,' another agreed. 'I made an offer. Was told there was a better offer. Kept being 'Outbid'. That was the first time I got scammed by an agent. 'Funnily enough, after about a week after I realised what was going on and pulled out. I got a call asking if I was still interested at my last offer amount. Nope.' Someone else wrote: 'I put an offer in the agent said there are two other buyers so I kept upping the offer and they kept pushing till I said I'm out. 'They ring back the next day saying the other buyers have dropped out so do you want the property. Yeah nah I'll pass thanks.' Mr Bulmer said there's 'no need' for agents to use 'fake' tactics when selling a property. 'I don't understand why some agents do some of the things that frustrate the living daylights out of people. I just don't get it,' he told 'Like as if real estate agents, after all this time, can't tell that people know that they're playing games. It blows my mind sometimes. 'I find that just such a silly thing to do, but it seems to happen so much.' Mr Bulmer said he's trying show his clients they can trust him by being transparent and hopes to proof that not all real estate agents use underhand tactics to make a sale. Fellow real estate agent and auctioneer Tom Panos agreed that fake tactics are unnecessary and only serve to damage perceptions of the industry. He pointed out the tactic of 'catfish homes' in which real estate agents post edited images of properties on their website listings to make them look better than they do in person. 'A real estate agent has an ethical responsibility to get the best price for the vendor (seller) who is their client and pays them. So it really is buyer beware,' he said. Another tactic he said was to door-knock a street where there is an auction set to take place and invite the neighbours to stop by on auction day, thus building an illusion that the property is more hotly contested. Similarly, when buyers register to bid on auction day they might give them bidding numbers that are higher than the actual bidders. 'So instead of one, two, three they might say 10, 11, 12,' he said. He encouraged buyers to undertake their own research before agreeing to purchase a property by looking at comparable prices on property sites like Corelogic and consulting with building inspectors who can check for defects. 'People often more research planning a holiday or buying a car than they do buying a property.'


Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie is paid $3.5MILLION direct to his bank account by the government - here's how his life unraveled after he was seen withdrawing money from ATMs
An Aussie father who was wrongly paid $3.5million by a government agency has been exposed as an alleged scammer, after an eight-month investigation uncovered several crucial mistakes. Saif Nafel, 38, from Lurnea in south-west Sydney, emailed an NT government agency last November, allegedly purporting to be a contractor from a construction company it was engaging with for an Aboriginal housing project. The construction company was NT-based Bukmak Constructions, which bills the government $3m a month over five years to build 87 homes. Nafel allegedly provided a completed vendor identification form with updated bank details. Multiple employees who appeared to work at the construction company were CC'd in on the email. Nafel then allegedly registered the business, Bukmak Construction Group, to closely resemble the legitimate contractor, and opened a bank account to receive the fraudulently obtained funds. The government agency then paid $3,583,363 to Nafel's alleged bank account, believing it was linked to the legitimate construction company. An AFP investigation was launched days later, when banking giant ANZ noticed a number of suspicious transfers. The phone number linked to the vendor identification form eventually led investigators to the alleged fraudster almost 4,000km away in Sydney. Nafel was allegedly captured multiple times on CCTV lining up at an ATM to withdraw cash from his bank account. The alleged scheme finally came to a dramatic end when police raided Nafel's home last Wednesday. Electronic devices and documents relating to the registration of the fake company were seized during the search warrant. Nafel was charged with one count of dealing with proceeds of crime worth $1 million or more. He appeared in Liverpool Local Court last Thursday, where he was granted bail to reappear in court in September. Nafel faces up to 12 years behind bars if convicted. Fortunately for the government agency, all but $11,603 of the allegedly stolen funds have been recovered, thanks to ANZ's efforts. Business email compromise and fraud were among the most common self-reported cybercrimes for Australian businesses and individuals in 2023-24, according to the AFP. 'It is crucial to double check emails, particularly if there is a request for a change in banking details,' Detective Superintendent Marie Andersson said. 'Call the party you are engaged with to confirm the request is legitimate – and use a phone number that you've previously used or independently verified – don't call a number in the suspicious email. 'If you have fallen victim, report it immediately to your bank and the police to give us the best chance of recovering your money.' ANZ's Milan Gigovic added: 'In response to this growing threat, ANZ's Financial Crime team is proactively collaborating with industry, government, and law enforcement agencies — including the Australian Federal Police's JPC3 team — to detect and stop these scams before they cause harm.' 'Together, we are strengthening our defences, preventing fraudulent payments and protecting Australian businesses.' Nafel will appear in Campbelltown Local Court on September 17.


The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
Labor and Coalition want convicted rapist Gareth Ward expelled from NSW parliament
Moves are afoot to expel the MP for Kiama, Gareth Ward, from the New South Wales parliament after he was convicted of serious sexual offences involving two young men. State parliament sits next week and Ward has not yet said whether he intends to appeal Friday's convictions. The MP has also not indicated whether he might resign from parliament and did not respond to questions from Guardian Australia. Ward was granted bail ahead of a hearing on Wednesday, when the prosecution will seek to have him taken into custody ahead of his sentencing. A date for that is due to be set on Wednesday. The 44-year-old stood trial in the NSW district court after pleading not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault charges. Several politicians have been convicted of 'an infamous crime' or a crime that carries a sentence of five years or more – which is the threshold that disqualifies a person from sitting in the NSW parliament. Most have chosen to resign when they have been charged and were well out of parliament by the time they were convicted. So the question of how lodging an appeal – or winning an appeal – might affect an MPs right to sit in the parliament has rarely arisen. Both major parties are hoping that Ward will choose to resign from parliament and the matter is resolved quickly. But Ward has, to date, shown little inclination to end his own political career. In 2021, Ward left the Liberal party and moved to the crossbench after identifying himself as the state MP under investigation by the child abuse and sex crimes squad of the NSW police force. When charges were laid in March 2022, then NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet called for his resignation. On 24 March 2022, Ward was suspended after a motion unanimously passed the Legislative Assembly. In mid-August 2022, Ward was committed to stand trial. But Ward's voters in the south coast state seat of Kiama re-elected him in March 2023 and he returned to Macquarie Street. The Minns government believes Ward should not sit in parliament now he is convicted of serious crimes and that seniment is echoed by the opposition. The premier, Chris Minns, said on Monday that Ward should resign or he would move a motion to expel him. Minns stressed Ward was convicted of 'incredibly serious charges' relating to 'multiple accusers.' 'He should resign,' the premier told reporters. 'It is completely ridiculous to be in a situation where someone has been, not just accused, not just charged, but convicted of incredibly serious sexual assault convictions and stay as a member of parliament. 'You name me one workplace in the whole world where that person would continue as an employee, facing that kind of jail time.' Minns said he had sought legal advice from the NSW cabinet office and believed expulsion was an option. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion But it's not straightforward. The expulsion cannot be 'punitive' but must be founded on protecting the integrity of the NSW parliament. That will mean establishing that Ward's conduct brings the house into disrepute and that he cannot adequately perform his duties – which would be easier to argue if he was incarcerated. 'It seems ridiculous that he could stay as a member of parliament. Steps need to be taken,' Minns said. He said it was 'untenable' for Ward to remain the MP for Kiama. Minns does not have a majority in the Legislative Assembly so would need the opposition or crossbenchers to gain the bare majority needed to pass an expulsion motion. The opposition leader, Mark Speakman, has said he would support an expulsion motion, subject to seeing the government's legal advice. 'The jury finding is about behaviour that is sickening,' Speakman told reporters on Monday. 'He should not be in parliament; his position is untenable. There is no way he can effectively represent his constituents. He should resign, and if he doesn't, parliament must take all the steps it can to protect its integrity.' Ward could alternatively be suspended or granted leave but both options would result in the convicted rapist continuing to receive his parliamentary salary and entitlements until he resigned, the next election was held in March 2027 or all appeals were finalised. These alternatives would prevent a by-election from being held. An expulsion or suspension could be challenged in the courts. There have been only a handful of cases challenging orders of parliament but, as constitutional expert Anne Twomey has said, courts have expressed wariness when it comes to expelling MPs. The situation would be complicated further if Ward appeals. Ward has 28 days to lodge any appeal. The appeal process itself would likely be lengthy, and if Ward was expelled, he would challenge that decision in the courts. Of course, there will be practical problems for Ward continuing in parliament if he is jailed pending any appeal. He couldn't attend parliament or effectively represent his constituents.