Notorious 'Outback Killer' Dies Without Revealing Location of Victim's Body
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Bradley John Murdoch, the convicted murderer known as the Outback Killer, died in Australia at age 67, authorities announced Wednesday.
Murdoch, who was serving a life sentence for murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, died without revealing the location of Falconio's body.
Murdoch was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2019 and was transferred from the Alice Springs prison to a hospital last month.
Police and family members expressed sorrow that the opportunity to find and recover Falconio's remains had been "lost forever."
Bradley John Murdoch (C) surrounded by police arrives at Darwin airport from Adelaide 24 November 2003.
Bradley John Murdoch (C) surrounded by police arrives at Darwin airport from Adelaide 24 November 2003.
David Hancock/AFP via Getty Images
Why It Matters
Murdoch's case gained global attention following the disappearance of Falconio and survival of Joanne Lees, who escaped after being attacked on a remote Northern Territory highway.
What To Know
Bradley John Murdoch's Conviction and Crime
Murdoch was convicted in the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin in 2005 for the 2001 murder of Peter Falconio, then aged 28, and the attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend Joanne Lees, then 27.
Murdoch was running drugs across state lines at the time, staying awake for marathon drives on amphetamines and using cannabis to crash afterward.
Late on July 14, 2001, he lured Falconio and Lees into pulling over on a desolate stretch of highway north of Alice Springs, claiming their camper van's exhaust was sparking. When Falconio got out to look, Lees heard a single gunshot and never saw him again.
Murdoch then bound Lees' wrists with cable ties, but she slipped free, hid for hours in the desert scrub while he searched with a torch and a dog, and she eventually flagged down a passing truck to raise the alarm.
Lees later wrote about her experience in her 2006 memoir No Turning Back, in which she said police treated her as a suspect before Murdoch's arrest.
Joanne Lees, girlfriend of Peter Falconio (2ndR) leaves the Northern Territory Supreme Court with Falconio's family (L-R) father Luciano, mother Joan, brothers Nick and Paul after day 38 of the Falconio murder trial December 13,...
Joanne Lees, girlfriend of Peter Falconio (2ndR) leaves the Northern Territory Supreme Court with Falconio's family (L-R) father Luciano, mother Joan, brothers Nick and Paul after day 38 of the Falconio murder trial December 13, 2005 in Darwin, Australia. MoreImpact on Victims and the Broader Community
South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said Wednesday: "There are no winners in this. Sadly, Peter lost his life, Joanne suffered a horrific experience and had to give evidence in court and the fact that the Falconio family now will never know the location of Peter, I think is as I said, a tragedy."
He added that Murdoch's actions affected international perceptions of safety: "There was an international impact from his conduct that potentially impacted on tourism. You know, people coming to South Australia, to enjoy the backpacking experience, to see what we have to offer, I'm sure a lot of people who thought twice because of the media attention that was brought to us because of his actions."
The case partly inspired the 2005 horror film Wolf Creek.
Police and Family Appeals for Cooperation
Murdoch repeatedly refused to cooperate with authorities, never disclosing the location of Falconio's remains. Colleen Gwynne, the former Northern Territory Police lead investigator, said: "You mourn Peter today because I guess with Bradley's prolonged refusal to cooperate with police and provide that information that we needed to locate Peter's remains and that then resulting in the prolonged family agony by the Falconio family, it's a sad day for those reasons."
This undated handout photo of British couple shows Joanne Lees (L) and boyfriend Peter Falconio as they sit in their van, taken in July 2001.
This undated handout photo of British couple shows Joanne Lees (L) and boyfriend Peter Falconio as they sit in their van, taken in July 2001.
Handout/Getty Images
Legal Changes and Ongoing Efforts
The Northern Territory passed laws in 2016 requiring convicted murderers to reveal the location of their victims' bodies to qualify for parole, effectively ensuring Murdoch would remain imprisoned without cooperation.
As of June 2025, the reward for information leading to Falconio's remains was doubled to 500,000 Australian dollars (about $330,000) after news emerged that Murdoch was in palliative care. Murdoch consistently maintained his innocence.
What People Are Saying
Grant Stevens, South Australia Police commissioner, said: "The opportunity to resolve that part of this horrific crime is now lost forever. I can't imagine what the family are going through, but I am sure they were hopeful that prior to his passing he would have disclosed the location of Peter Falconio's body, and I think that is an absolute tragedy."
Luciano Falconio, the victim's 83-year-old father told News Corp Australia: "I tell you what I think, I wish he [Murdoch] left something for me to find him."
What Happens Next
Authorities encourage anyone with knowledge about Falconio's disappearance to come forward.
This article contains reporting from The Associated Press
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