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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Extensive evidence for slain Dunedin man's cold case inquest
The three friends (from left) Karen Edwards, Gordon Twaddle and Timothy Thomson were found dead from gunshot wounds on October 24, 1978. File photo An investigation into the murder of three friends while on holiday 46 years ago is gathering "extensive" evidence ahead of hearings into the cold case, a coroner has heard. Karen Edwards, 23, Kiwi Tim Thomson, 31, and Dunedin man Gordon Twaddle, 21, left Alice Springs with their dog, 'Tristie', for a motorcycle trip to Mount Isa on October 2, 1978. The trio were found dead with gunshot wounds in remote bushland at Spear Creek,12km north of Mount Isa. Queensland coroner David O'Connell was given an update on preparations for an inquest into the deaths, which is due to start hearings in October. Counsel assisting Amelia Hughes said parties involved would receive a copy of the brief of evidence and witness list in September. "It's quite an extensive brief. That process is still underway with investigations ongoing," she said on Tuesday. Ms Edwards' sister and other family members listened remotely to the coroner's pre-inquest conference by phone. Mr Thomson and Mr Twaddle were family friends from New Zealand and shared a passion for motorcycles. Ms Edwards was Mr Thomson's girlfriend. Once they reached Cairns, the friends planned to head south to Melbourne for Christmas with family. They were last seen alive leaving the Moondarra Caravan Park in Mount Isa in a brown and white Toyota Landcruiser station wagon four wheel drive with a man on the morning of October 5, 1978. Queensland police in 2019 renewed a $250,000 reward for information which leads to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murders. Former New South Wales prison guard Bruce John Preston was charged in April 2019 with the murders and granted bail in February 2020. Crown prosecutors dropped all charges against Mr Preston in July 2023. The inquest will hold hearings over nine days in Brisbane Coroners Court from October 7. The hearings are due to end days before the 47th anniversary of the victims being found dead.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- News.com.au
Date set for coroner to probe horrific 1978 Spear Creek killings in Qld outback
A date has been set for a coroner to probe the cold case deaths of three people who were gunned down in the Queensland outback, with a court being told an 'extensive' brief of evidence would only be ready one month before the hearing. More than 40 years after Karen Edwards, 23, her boyfriend Timothy Thomson, 31, and their friend Gordon Twaddle, 21, were found dead in the Gulf Country region of Queensland, Coroner David O'Connell is set to examine the mysterious circumstances surrounding how they died and the adequacy of the police investigation. Ms Edwards, Mr Thomson and Mr Twaddle were found in bushland with gunshot wounds at Spear Creek, near Mt Isa, in October 1978. The trio were on a motorcycle trip around Australia when they were killed. Cold case investigators, with the assistance of Mount Isa Criminal Investigation Branch, began a review into the unsolved 40-year-old homicide investigation in 2018. A year later, Bruce John Preston, a retired senior prison officer at NSW's Goulburn Supermax jail, was arrested and charged with the group's murders. But in 2023, the Crown dropped all charges against him after determining it could no longer prosecute the case. Mr Preston has denied any involvement in the trio's deaths and maintains his innocence. A second pre-inquest conference into the murders began on Tuesday afternoon at the Brisbane Coroners Court, where dates were formally set for the renewed inquest to go ahead. Amelia Hughes, counsel assisting the coroner, said the preparation of the brief of evidence was still under way due to ongoing investigations. It was initially indicated the brief would be ready by July. However, Ms Hughes said it would now be ready by September 8 – a month before the nine-day inquest would start, on October 7. The court was told one of the issues the coroner would need to consider was the adequacy of the police investigations into the deaths of Ms Edwards, Mr Thomson and Mr Twaddle both at the time and during the renewed investigation in 2019. A further date for oral submissions was set down for October 22.
ABC News
19-06-2025
- ABC News
Pre-inquest hearing begins for cold case murders of trio shot dead in Mount Isa bushland
A coroner has been tasked with "finding answers" for the families of three friends who were killed in remote Queensland more than 45 years ago. In October 1978, Karen Edwards, 23, Timothy Thomson, 31, and Gordon Twaddle, 22, were found shot dead in bushland at Spear Creek, near Mount Isa. At the time, the trio had been on a motorcycle trip together, travelling from Alice Springs to Melbourne. In 1980 a coroner ruled they had been murdered by an unknown person or persons. Following a fresh cold case investigation, in 2019, Bruce Preston — who had previously admitted to stealing one of their motorbikes — was arrested over the triple homicide. However, after being committed to stand trial, the prosecution against him was withdrawn in 2023. Lawyers for Mr Preston have previously said he denies having any involvement in their deaths. During a pre-inquest conference held on Thursday, the Coroners Court in Brisbane heard an inquest could be held as early as October with more than 40 witnesses expected to give evidence. Counsel Assisting the Coroner Amelia Hughes told the court there were four proposed issues set to be examined, the first being an outline of the group's journey from the Northern Territory into Queensland. "Including the locations at which they stopped and the timing," she said. The court heard this issue would also look at any occasions they were seen in the company of a fourth rider and try to determine who that person was. Ms Hughes told the court the inquiry will also consider the movements and activities of the group after they arrived in Mt Isa and their time spent at a local caravan park. "Including… the visits by a Toyota Landcruiser at their campsite… [and] the identity of the driver," she said. The court heard there was evidence the group had been picked up by this vehicle multiple times during their stay. Coroner Stephanie Williams will also probe the adequacy of the two police investigations and attempt to identify whether anyone was involved in the deaths. She told the court she wanted to secure evidence as thoroughly as possible whilst "battling" the "passage of time". "No doubt as the families would be acutely aware this matter has been going on for many decades," she said. Some of the family members were dialled into the hearing, and Coroner Williams acknowledged their dedication to uncovering what happened. "This matter and investigation have been a long time coming, thank you for your commitment to your loved ones," she said. "I hope that as this inquiry progresses, the court is able to assist you with finding answers to some of the questions you have." A further preliminary conference into the matter will be heard in August.
