a day ago
A town in mourning: Gin Gin community to hold candlelit vigil for Phoebe Bishop
Flowers have been laid this weekend at Airport Drive near Bunderberg airport. A growing mass of bouquets is accompanied by messages of love and calls for justice, from a community in mourning. It's the last place Pheobe Bishop was allegedly seen alive. Police allege she was sighted on May 15 on CCTV, near a mountain bike trail. As they investigate, Mikayla Howarth, a close friend of Phoebe's, has told Channel Nine she was bright and kind. "I have never met anyone in my entire life who had such a kind heart that she had. She was so beautiful and every room she walked into just lit up and she was just so happy." The community of Gin Gin is preparing to hold a candlelit vigil early this evening, with locals asked to wear bright colours and butterflies. The vigil comes after a grim discovery on Friday confirmed human remains had been found in dense bushland in Good Night Scrub National Park in Queensland. The park is south west of Bundaberg, 9 kilometres from the original search sight for the missing teenager. Police allege telecommunications data led them to the site. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield says forensics have not formally identified the victim, but the findings are consistent with what they would expect from a person missing since May 15. "A crime scene is still established there at the moment and further forensic testing is being area once again is in an unforgiving terrain so it may take some time to finish that examination." The discovery came just hours after Pheobe's accused housemates - 34 year old James Wood and 33 year old Tanika Bromley - were arrested and remanded in custody. Police released footage of the arrests, showing an officer meeting the pair. "This is police sergeant... going listen to me." Both have been charged with murder and interfering with a corpse. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Detective Inspector Mansfield said work is underway to determine the cause of Phoebe's death. "I don't want to go into the specifics of what we've seen there at the scene, just out of respect for Phoebe's family, we will conduct our examinations of course with a view of trying to determine a cause of death." Phoebe's mother Kylie Johnson posted to social media, to express her devastation at the discovery, weeks after her child went missing. She wrote; "I didn't think my heart could break anymore than it did when you went is ripping me apart." Bundaberg's Mayor Helen Blackburn, says the local community is reeling from the latest news.
"We are such a kind, caring and close community. And to have these actions carried out right here is just horrific."
