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RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Police announce $500k reward in bid to locate British backpacker Peter Falconio's body
By Jack Hislop for ABC News Peter Falconio was shot in the head in July 2001, but his body has never been found. Photo: Supplied Australian police have announced a new $500,000 reward for information that leads to the discovery of Peter Falconio's remains. Falconio was shot in the head on a remote stretch of the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek - about 300 kilometres north of Alice Springs - in July 2001. The 28-year-old British backpacker was at the time travelling around Australia with his girlfriend Joanne Lees. Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of murdering Mr Falconio in 2005, but has never revealed the location of his body. Several extensive police searches have failed to locate his remains. Murdoch was also convicted of the attempted kidnap and assault of Lees, who managed to escape and hide in bushland. He is currently serving a life sentence at Alice Springs prison, with a non-parole period of 28 years. Bradley John Murdoch in 2003. Photo: AFP / DAVID HANCOCK Acting Commander Mark Grieve said NT police still "hold out hope" that someone could provide information that leads to the discovery of Falconio's body. "As such a fresh reward for information is now on offer of up to $500,000," he said. "We are 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 start that conversation with police. "You just never know how beneficial that information that you may hold, may be - essentially you just don't know what you know." Murdoch was due to be eligible for parole in 2032, at 74 years old. But under the NT government's "no body, no parole" laws, introduced in 2016, Murdoch may not be granted parole if he continues to not cooperate with authorities in locating Falconio's body. Murdoch was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2019. The ABC understands he is currently in palliative care in Alice Springs Hospital. Acting Commander Grieve said police had made "numerous approaches" to Murdoch over the years, including this week, for information on the whereabouts of Falconio's body. "Unfortunately, the outcome of those conversations rests with Murdoch," he said. "On all occasions he has chosen not to positively engage with police. "There may be someone out there that he's confided in - whether that's family and friends - we just don't know. "It's a good opportunity for us to up the ante in regards to the reward. "We think there's still people out there that may hold some information." Asked what had prompted an increase to the reward, Acting Commander Grieve said police believed now was the "right time". "[Police] recognise that there's certain times where there's the potential for opportunities to be taken advantage of," he said. "There was a previous reward of up to $250,000, so we've upped that to up to $500,000. "It's like any ongoing police investigation, you want to solve it. "You want to try and at least bring some sliver of resolution to Peter's family, by bringing home his remains." Acting Commander Grieve said NT police had spoken to Falconio's family within the past 24 hours. "We keep them appraised of what we're doing… any new information and leads. They're appreciative of the ongoing commitment we're providing," he said. Police have previously renewed calls for information on the 15th and 20th anniversaries of Falconio's death. - ABC
Sky News
10 hours ago
- Sky News
Peter Falconio: Australian police offer $500k reward for information leading to discovery of British backpacker's remains
Police in Australia are offering a $500,000 (£238,670) reward for information leading to the discovery of the remains of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio. The reward has been announced ahead of the 24th anniversary of the 28-year-old's death. Mr Falconio and his partner Joanne Lees, both from Yorkshire, had been driving near the tiny settlement of Barrow Creek on the remote Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory of Australia in 2001. The couple were backpacking across the country in a camper van when Bradley John Murdoch pulled up beside them claiming to have seen sparks coming from their vehicle. He shot Mr Falconio in the head as he inspected the van, before forcing Ms Lees into his vehicle and binding her wrists with cable ties. She managed a daring escape, hiding in the Outback scrub for hours before flagging down a passing truck. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Murdoch had likely disposed of the backpacker's body somewhere in the vast, remote expanse of desert between Alice Springs and Broome, covering more than 1,200 miles. Despite repeated searches, Mr Falconio's body has never been found. Murdoch was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for at least 28 years for the murder of Mr Falconio and the attack on his girlfriend. He has always maintained his innocence and has never revealed the location of Mr Falconio's body. Mark Grieve, acting Northern Territory Police commander, said officers "still hold out hope" someone may hold "vital information" to aid in the search. "In what will be the 24th anniversary of (Falconio's) death this July, being next month, we're asking for anyone who may believe they have information that can assist to please come forward and contact police," he told reporters in Darwin. "It's never too late to reach out, and at least start that conversation with police, because you just never know how beneficial that information that you may hold may be. "We recognise the passage of time that's transpired, however, it's never too late to reach out and start that conversation with police." Murdoch, 67, was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2019 and was moved to palliative care from Alice Springs Correctional Centre earlier this month, according to local media reports. Ms Lees, who has since returned to the UK, told Australian current affairs programme 60 Minutes in 2017: "Pete lost his life on that night, but I lost mine too. "I'll never be fully at peace if Pete's not found, but I accept that that is a possibility." Murdoch lodged several unsuccessful appeals over the years, with Australia's highest court refusing to hear his case in 2007. He was not eligible for parole until 2033, but would have remained behind bars under "no body, no parole" laws preventing him from being released if he refused to disclose Mr Falconio's whereabouts.
