10-07-2025
Coroner finds Indigenous man 'slipped or fell' into Narrabri Creek
A coronial inquest into the death of a First Nations man in northern NSW in 2021 has found he was likely drug-affected when he "slipped or fell" into a creek and drowned.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains the name and image of a man who has died. They are used with the permission of his family.
Nathan Markl, 31, was last seen alive on July 7, 2021, when he dropped a friend home in Narrabri.
More than two weeks later his body was found in Narrabri Creek.
In handing down her findings on Thursday, Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes said she was satisfied the Gomeroi man died by misadventure.
"[Mr Markl] likely exited the car and entered the water, at or about 9:17pm, on the seventh of July," she said.
"I am satisfied Mr Markl either slipped or fell into the Narrabri Creek and died.
The inquest heard a police diving squad found Mr Markl's body 11 kilometres downstream from his vehicle July 23.
Magistrate Forbes said wet weather at the time may have been a factor in his death.
Police said his death was not suspicious.
An autopsy was unable to establish the cause of death but found Mr Markl had no injuries.
Leah Joy Murray, the pathologist who conducted the autopsy, told the inquest that the length of time Mr Markl's body was submerged in water made it difficult to determine the cause of his death.
"The water clouds the ability to see bruises, scrapes and abrasions," she said.
Dr Murray said there were no signs of fractures or disease that would have contributed to Mr Markl's death.
"Anti-psychotic medication was found [in his system], as well as meth and alcohol," she said.
The inquest heard Mr Markl had a cognitive impairment and struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues.
"It's likely Mr Markl was abusing methamphetamine and cannabis," counsel assisting the coroner Ben Fogarty told the inquest.
Witnesses told the inquest Mr Markl was heavily affected by drugs in the lead-up to his death.
"He was on edge and I was wary of him," a witness said.
During the two-day inquest in June the court heard Mr Markl was a father who loved his five children.
The Gomeroi man was described as a "character" who had a special relationship with his mother, Jo Harradine.
Ms Harradine told the inquest that her she feared her son would fall in with the wrong crowd due to his cognitive impairment.
"It was hard for me as a mother," she said.
Ms Harradine previously told the ABC she had long questioned the circumstances that led to Mr Markl's death.
This week marks four years since her son went missing.
The Gomeroi, Ngarrindjeri and Dunghutti woman declined to comment on the findings, but did say was not "likely to be the outcome I wanted".
