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Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Expert's chilling theory about why Peter Falconio's body may never be found - as claims emerge of killer's 'explosive' last words
The lead investigator into the death of British tourist Peter Falconio has revealed why his convicted killer will likely die before helping to locate the backpacker's body. Bradley John Murdoch, 67, was jailed for life over the 2001 killing of Mr Falconio, then 28, on a remote stretch of highway north of Alice Springs, though no remains have been found. He was also convicted of the assault and attempted kidnapping of Falconio's girlfriend Joanne Lees, who managed to escape into surrounding bushland. It was revealed this week throat cancer-stricken Murdoch had been moved to palliative care and would soon die, raising the risk the secret of Mr Falconio's whereabouts could die with him. The news prompted Northern Territory police to double their reward for information that led to the location of Mr Falconio's body to $500,000 on Wednesday. But, more than 20 years after her investigations led to Murdoch's arrest, former NT police officer Colleen Gwynne has suggested the killer may not know where Mr Falconio's body is. 'There is potential that, with the stress that (Murdoch) was under, the fact that Joanne escaped and he had a victim that was now at large, that he may – through the stress – he may have forgotten exactly where he disposed of the body,' she told NT News. She would be 'surprised' if he had forgotten, given Murdoch's familiarity with the Outback, she said, but the theory casts doubt on the potential for a deathbed confession, which another expert, Robin Bowles, has claimed will be 'explosive'. The author released a book called Dead Centre in 2022 about the case and claims in her research she conducted 50 hours of interviews with Murdoch. 'I know what they (his last words) are, and they will be explosive,' she told 7News. 'It's a shame they weren't able to be released earlier. You can't sue a dead man, so if he's making the claims, and he's died, the proverbial might hit the fan.' Murdoch has always maintained his innocence and has shown no indication of changing his position when spoken to by officers as recently as this week, NT police said. 'On all occasions, he's chosen not to positively engage with the police,' acting commander Mark Grieve told reporters on Wednesday. Murdoch is not eligible for parole for another eight years but, under the NT's 'no body, no release' laws, he wouldn't have been up for release without revealing the location of Mr Falconio's remains. Mr Falconio's whereabouts remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in recent criminal history, with the roadside killing and Ms Lees's miraculous escape partially inspiring the hit 2005 film Wolf Creek. On July 14, 2001, Mr Falconio and his then-girlfriend Joanne Lees were driving between Alice Springs and Darwin in their VW Kombi campervan. Murdoch signalled at their car, instructing the pair to pull over on the Stuart Highway, north of Barrow Creek on the pretence their van may be experiencing engine issues. After shooting Mr Falconio, Murdoch threatened Ms Lees before he bound her hands behind her back with cable tie restraints and bundled her into the back of his vehicle. While Murdoch disposed of Mr Falconio's body, Ms Lees managed to escape barefoot into surrounding bushland where she remained for five hours. She remained hidden while Murdoch hunted for her with his dog before she eventually flagged down a passing truck. Despite her latest theory, Ms Gwynne nonetheless welcomed the police's decision to increase the reward for information relating to Mr Falconio's whereabouts. 'I think the fact the reward has come out is a great idea and it shows the Northern Territory see this still as a significant gap here,' she told Seven News. 'We achieved a conviction but we still haven't been able to find Peter and from a law enforcement point of view that's still an important part of this. 'It's good to see the NT police have taken this tack. It's important and it's important to the family.' Speaking from his home in Huddersfield, England, Mr Falconio's father Luciano recently told the Daily Mail he had learned of the new reward for information through the media and had not been contacted by authorities. His wife, Joan, previously told the Daily Mail: 'All we ever hope is that Peter will finally be found one day, in our lifetime.' Even if Ms Gwynne's theory is correct and Murdoch could not recall where he had disposed of Falconio's body, Mr Grieve said the reward could prompt other to speak up. 'We recognise the passage of time that's transpired, however it's never too late to reach out and start that conversation with police,' Mr Grieve said this week. 'There may be someone out there he's confided in. Whether or not that's family or friends, we just don't know.'
7NEWS
11 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Convicted killer Bradley Murdoch to deliver ‘explosive' death bed speech as true crime author Robin Bowles addresses her conversations with him
A notorious murderer will deliver an 'explosive' final speech from his death bed as cancer takes over his body and he spends his last days in palliative care. Bradley Murdoch is serving a life sentence over the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio but reports surfaced recently that he was close to death and had been moved to hospital to spend his final days. Back in 2001, Falconio, 28, and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were driving about 300km from Alice Springs, when they were flagged down by Murdoch, who claimed to have mechanical issues with his car. Falconio walked behind the car with Murdoch to investigate the issue when Lees said she heard a gunshot. Murdoch cable-tied Lees and covered her head but she managed to escape and hide in bushland for five hours while Murdoch searched for her with his dog. Lees eventually fled and flagged down a truck driver, who drove her to safety. Falconio was never seen again and his body has never been found. As Murdoch nears death, true crime author Robin Bowles has revealed a conversation she had with the convicted killer a few years ago. Bowles released the book Dead Centre in 2022, a novel that looked into Falconio's murder and involved her repeatedly interviewing Murdoch. She claims to have sat down with Murdoch for close to 50 hours. In an exclusive sitdown with 7NEWS, Bowles said she knew exactly what Murdoch's final words would be. 'I know what they are, and they will be explosive,' she said. 'It's a shame they weren't able to be released earlier. 'You can't sue a dead man, so if he's making the claims, and he's died — the proverbial might hit the fan.' Murdoch has always denied murdering Falconio. Despite various police searches in the last 20 years, Falconio's body has never been found. Murdoch was given a life sentence in 2005 with a non-parole period of 28 years. He was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2019 and is reportedly in palliative care in Alice Springs Hospital. she wanted to see a resolution for the Falconio family 'who really have been through years of distress'. 'I think the fact the reward has come out is a great idea and it shows the Northern Territory see this still as a significant gap here,' Gwynne told 7NEWS. The NT introduced a 'no body, no parole' law in 2016, preventing people convicted of murder from being able to qualify for parole unless they give up the location of the victim's remains. Murdoch would have been eligible for parole in 2032.
