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In Alice Springs today, Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage is set to preside over a crucial one-day public hearing concerning the death of Bradley John Murdoch. This case continues to capture attention due to its complex and unresolved elements.
The hearing will feature testimonies exclusively from representatives of the Northern Territory’s corrections and health departments. Their insights will shed light on the circumstances surrounding Murdoch’s final days.
Murdoch passed away at the age of 67 on July 16, after a battle with throat cancer, in the palliative care unit of Alice Springs Hospital. His death marks the end of a life sentence he was serving for a notorious crime that shook the nation.
In 2001, Murdoch was convicted for the murder of 28-year-old British backpacker Peter Falconio, as well as the assault and attempted abduction of Falconio’s girlfriend, Joanne Lees. The incident occurred on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek and remains etched in public memory.
Despite his conviction, Murdoch persistently maintained his innocence and never disclosed the location of Falconio’s body, leaving a lingering mystery that adds a layer of complexity to the proceedings.
The backpacker was driving along the Stuart Highway with Lees when Murdoch drove up behind them and indicated they should pull over, saying their van might have an engine problem.
Falconio went behind the car with him to investigate and Lees heard a gunshot. Murdoch grabbed her, cable-tied her and covered her head.
But she managed to escape and hid in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog, before she flagged down a truck driver.
Murdoch was arrested in November 2003 over Falconio’s disappearance after a jury in South Australia acquitted him of raping and falsely imprisoning a 12-year-old girl.
The SA case allowed NT Police to obtain his DNA, which was later found on the makeshift handcuffs worn by Lees, as well as on her T-shirt, leading to his arrest.
Falconio’s parents in July expressed relief that Murdoch had died, saying “it’s like a weight that’s been lifted”.
“We didn’t have much faith, but we were hoping Bradley John Murdoch would reveal where Peter was before he died,” Luciano and Joan Falconio said in a statement at the time.
“But even now, we still hold out hope that his remains will be found.”
A reward of up to $500,000 is available to anyone providing information that leads to the discovery of Falconio’s remains.