Latest news with #NorthernTerritoryPolice
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'Outback killer' to make 'explosive' deathbed declaration after murdering Brit
Bradley John Murdoch has reportedly been moved to palliative care and could make a shocking revelation about the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio before he dies An Aussie Outback killer who brutally killed a British backpacker could soon make an "explosive" statement as he nears death. Bradley John Murdoch, who is dying from terminal throat cancer, is serving a life sentence for killing Peter Falconio and attacking his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, on a remote highway in the Northern Territory back in 2001. Mr Falconio, 28, and his partner, both from Yorkshire, were on a road trip in their VW Kombi campervan between Alice Springs and Darwin when they were flagged down by Murdoch and attacked. Mr Falconio was fatally shot in the head while Ms Lees was chucked in the attacker's car with her wrists bound with cable ties. Miraculously she managed to escape and hid in the bushes for five hours before flagging down a passing truck. Now, nearly 24 years on, Murdoch is nearing death himself after he was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2019. He was moved to palliative care from Alice Springs Correctional Centre earlier this month and according to true crime author Robin Bowles, who sat down with the killer a few years ago, he could make an 'explosive' statement in his final words. She told 7NEWS: 'I know what they are, and they will be explosive. 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 never revealed the location of Mr Falconio's body and in a desperate attempt to find the tourist's remains, Australian police this week announced a huge 500,000 Australian dollar (£238,670) reward for information that leads to the discovery of the British backpacker's remains. Police said ahead of the 24th anniversary of the murder next month they held out 'hope' that someone would now come forward. Acting Northern Territory Police commander Mark Grieve said: '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. 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, has always denied the killing and protested his innocence during the 2005 murder trial. After seven weeks he was found guilty of murdering Mr Falconio and assaulting and attempting to kidnap Ms Lees. Northern Territory Police have previously searched swathes of land close to the crime scene but Mr Falconio's remains have never been found. Murdoch was spotted on CCTV at a petrol station in Alice Springs - about 190 miles south of the crime scene - in the hours after the attack. He is then said to have driven around 800 miles through the night and the following day across the inhospitable Tanami Track, reaching Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia at about 8pm. He was arrested and charged with the murder of Mr Falconio 16 months after the attack, thanks to DNA evidence and Ms Lees identifying him. Ms Lees, who has since returned to the UK, told Australian current affairs programme 60 Minutes in 2017 she still wanted to "bring him home". "Pete lost his life on that night, but I lost mine too," she said at the time. "I'll never be fully at peace if Pete's not found, but I accept that that is a possibility."
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Perth Now
Outback killer set to stonewall cops and take key puzzle piece to his grave
The lead investigator in the Peter Falconio murder case hopes the British tourist's remains will be found but says there is little chance outback killer Bradley John Murdoch will point authorities to his grave — even from his death bed. Murdoch, 67, was jailed for life over the 2001 roadside execution of Falconio and the assault and attempted kidnapping of the backpacker's girlfriend, Joanne Lees, on the Stuart Hwy north of Alice Springs. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Police make desperate last effort to find remains of Peter Falconio. It was revealed this week that the convicted killer was close to death and had been moved to palliative care, with detectives now in a race to get a confession from a man who has always maintained his innocence. On Wednesday, amid news Murdoch may only have days to live, Northern Territory police doubled their reward to $500,000 for information that could finally conclude the outback search for a body. Colleen Gwynne — known for her work in the arrest and conviction of Murdoch — said 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. '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.' Peter Falconio was travelling in the NT with girlfriend Joanne Lees when he was murdered. Credit: AAP Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of Falconio's murder. Credit: AAP Despite extensive outback searches, Falconio's body has not been found. Credit: 7NEWS Gwynne said authorities had made many attempts to secure key information from Murdoch, and even 'enticed him' with the opportunity to move to his native Western Australia to serve out his sentence. 'That's still didn't change his willingness to assist us,' Gwynne said. The former chief investigator said it would not be in Murdoch's character to suddenly have a change of heart. 'I think for Bradley Murdoch, he's maintained his innocence. He's never said to anyone that he's guilty of this,' Gwynne told 7NEWS. 'I think for him it's a part of his control that he will never disclose — he will take it with him. It's unfortunate for the family that's what he's chosen to do.' Police, too, said they had made a number of approaches to Murdoch about Falconio's remains. 'On all occasions he's chosen not to positively engage with police,' Northern Territory Police acting commander Mark Grieve said on Wednesday. Colleen Gwynne doubts Murdoch will assist police, even from his death bed. Credit: 7NEWS Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees were on an Australian holiday when they were stopped by Murdoch in 2001. Credit: 7NEWS Murdoch had driven up behind the couple, urging them to pull over near the remote town of Barrow Creek because their camper van had mechanical issues. After shooting Falconio, he cable-tied Lees and covered her head. She managed to escape, hiding in bushland for several hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog before she was able to flag down a truck driver. Murdoch is believed to have hidden Falconio's body but massive searches have failed to find it. 'We recognise the passage of time that's transpired, however it's never too late to reach out and start that conversation with police,' Grieve said in a renewed public appeal. 'There may be someone out there he's confided in. Whether or not that's family or friends, we just don't know.' A Kombi belonging to English backpacker Peter Falconio, in the carpark of the Supreme Court in Darwin in 2005. Credit: David Geraghty / AAP Northern Territory Police acting commander Mark Grieve said Murdoch has chosen 'not to positively engage with police'. Credit: 7NEWS Gwynne took over the case when it was just months old and said it quickly became a big part of her life. 'It was four years of our life really from start to finish and I think you do have many days where you sit back and you think about ... different stages of the investigation,' she said. 'I often wonder how the Falconios are and how their lives are without their son. 'It's a significant part of a lot of people's lives. There was a lot of people involved in that investigation.' Grieve said police wanted to 'try and at least bring some sliver of resolution' to the Falconio family and his loved ones, who have been informed about the new reward. Murdoch was given a life sentence in 2005 with a non-parole period of 28 years. 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.
7NEWS
6 days ago
- 7NEWS
Lead investigator on Peter Falconio murder case says Bradley John Murdoch not likely to reveal where body is
The lead investigator in the Peter Falconio murder case hopes the British tourist's remains will be found but says there is little chance outback killer Bradley John Murdoch will point authorities to his grave — even from his death bed. Murdoch, 67, was jailed for life over the 2001 roadside execution of Falconio and the assault and attempted kidnapping of the backpacker's girlfriend, Joanne Lees, on the Stuart Hwy north of Alice Springs. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Police make desperate last effort to find remains of Peter Falconio. It was revealed this week that the convicted killer was close to death and had been moved to palliative care, with detectives now in a race to get a confession from a man who has always maintained his innocence. On Wednesday, amid news Murdoch may only have days to live, Northern Territory police doubled their reward to $500,000 for information that could finally conclude the outback search for a body. Colleen Gwynne — known for her work in the arrest and conviction of Murdoch — said 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. '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.' Gwynne said authorities had made many attempts to secure key information from Murdoch, and even 'enticed him' with the opportunity to move to his native Western Australia to serve out his sentence. 'That's still didn't change his willingness to assist us,' Gwynne said. The former chief investigator said it would not be in Murdoch's character to suddenly have a change of heart. 'I think for Bradley Murdoch, he's maintained his innocence. He's never said to anyone that he's guilty of this,' Gwynne told 7NEWS. 'I think for him it's a part of his control that he will never disclose — he will take it with him. It's unfortunate for the family that's what he's chosen to do.' Police, too, said they had made a number of approaches to Murdoch about Falconio's remains. 'On all occasions he's chosen not to positively engage with police,' Northern Territory Police acting commander Mark Grieve said on Wednesday. Murdoch had driven up behind the couple, urging them to pull over near the remote town of Barrow Creek because their camper van had mechanical issues. After shooting Falconio, he cable-tied Lees and covered her head. She managed to escape, hiding in bushland for several hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog before she was able to flag down a truck driver. Murdoch is believed to have hidden Falconio's body but massive searches have failed to find it. 'We recognise the passage of time that's transpired, however it's never too late to reach out and start that conversation with police,' Grieve said in a renewed public appeal. 'There may be someone out there he's confided in. Whether or not that's family or friends, we just don't know.' Gwynne took over the case when it was just months old and said it quickly became a big part of her life. 'It was four years of our life really from start to finish and I think you do have many days where you sit back and you think about ... different stages of the investigation,' she said. 'I often wonder how the Falconios are and how their lives are without their son. 'It's a significant part of a lot of people's lives. There was a lot of people involved in that investigation.' Grieve said police wanted to 'try and at least bring some sliver of resolution' to the Falconio family and his loved ones, who have been informed about the new reward. Murdoch was given a life sentence in 2005 with a non-parole period of 28 years. 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.
1News
7 days ago
- 1News
Aus police offer $540k reward to find murdered backpacker's remains
A half-million-dollar reward could help crack the decades-old mystery of where a notorious outback killer hid the body of British backpacker Peter Falconio. Bradley John Murdoch was given a life sentence for murdering the 28-year-old and assaulting and attempting to kidnap his girlfriend Joanne Lees on the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory in July 2001. Lees hid in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog before she managed to flag down a truck driver. The case involving two British backpackers touring Australia in a camper van prompted global media attention. In 2005, Murdoch was convicted of the execution-style shooting murder of Falconio and was given a life sentence with a non-parole period of 28 years. ADVERTISEMENT He is believed to have hidden Falconio's body, which has never been found despite extensive searches. The announcement of a reward of up to AU$500,000 (NZ$538,526) – double the previous incentive in place – comes as the terminally ill Murdoch is reported to be on his deathbed in hospital in Alice Springs. Northern Territory Police acting commander Mark Grieve said officers still hoped someone had information that could lead to the body's discovery. "We recognise the passage of time that's transpired, however it's never too late to reach out and start that conversation with police," he said today. "There may be someone out there he's confided in. Whether or not that's family or friends, we just don't know." Falconio and Lees were on the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs on July 14, 2001, when Murdoch drove up behind them, the murder trial heard. He indicated for them to pull over, saying their van might have an engine problem. ADVERTISEMENT Falconio went behind the car with Murdoch to investigate before Lees heard a gunshot. Murdoch then cable-tied her and covered her head, but she escaped and hid in bushland while the killer tried to hunt her down. Grieve said police had over the years made numerous approaches to Murdoch for information on where Falconio's remains lay, including within the last week. "On all occasions he's chosen not to positively engage with police," he said. Police wanted to solve the case in full, Grieve added. "You want to try and at least bring some sliver of resolution to Peter's family, by bringing home his remains," he said. The UK-based Falconio family had been informed of the reward offer, Grieve said. ADVERTISEMENT A AU$250,000 (NZ$269,609) reward for information that could help convict Falconio's killer was previously put in place and several applications were made to share in the funds after Murdoch's conviction. In 2019, the killer was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Grieve declined to comment on reports Murdoch had recently been allowed out on excursions while in palliative care.
Metro
7 days ago
- Metro
'Race against time' to find body of Brit backpacker who disappeared 24 years ago
Police have offered a huge new reward for the location of a murdered British backpacker's body amid fears the killer could take the secret to the grave. Peter Falconio was 28 when he was murdered in 2001 while backpacking in the Northern Territory of Australia with his girlfriend Joanne Lees. The couple were attacked after being ambushed in their campervan on a remote highway. Bradley John Murdoch was eventually found guilty of murdering Peter in 2005, as well as assaulting Joanne, and was sentenced to life in prison. But he's always maintained his innocence, appealing against his conviction twice, and has never revealed where he dumped Peter's body. Now prison sources have told an Australian news site that Murdoch has been moved out of hospital into palliative care as he comes close to death from terminal throat cancer. Police have launched a new appeal for information to find Peter's body, doubling their previous potential reward of up to AU$500,000 (£240,000), amid fears Murdoch could take his secrets to the grave. Officers have continued to re-interview Murdoch throughout his prison sentence, including as recently as this week, about the location of the body. Acting Northern Territory Police commander Mark Grieve said: 'We're asking for anyone who may believe they have information that can assist to please come forward and contact police. '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. 'We've made numerous approaches to Murdoch over the years that have passed up until very recently, being this week. 'Unfortunately the outcome of those conversations rest with Murdoch. On all occasions, he has chosen not to positively engage with police.' Commander Grieve said he hopes to 'at least bring some sliver of resolution to Peter's family by bringing home his remains', adding the force has been 'unwavering' in its mission to do so for the last 24 years. On July 14, 2001, Peter and Joanne were driving in a campervan about 190 miles north of Alice Springs when Murdoch pulled up beside them on the highway and urged them to pull over. He claimed to have seen sparks coming from their van – but when Peter got out to inspect the vehicle, Murdoch shot him in the head. He then forced Joanne into his pick-up truck, tying her wrists with cable ties and putting a sack over her head. Fearing she would be raped or killed, she managed to escape Murdoch's car and hid in the bush for five hours until flagging down a passing truck for help. More Trending During the trial, prosecutors said Murdoch had likely disposed of Peter's body somewhere in the vast 1,200mile stretch of outback between Alice Springs and Broome. Murdoch wouldn't have been eligible for parole until 2033, but a new 'no body, no parole' law means he won't be released as long as he refusesto reveal the location of Peter's body. Joanne, who has since returned to the UK, said in 2017 that she still wanted to 'bring him home', adding: '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.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: What is devil's breath? The truth behind the notorious drug MORE: Man chased around Tube station for his watch before attacker is pinned down MORE: Killer's last words before being executed for raping and killing homecoming queen
