Investigators still hope the body of Peter Falconio, who was slain in the outback two decades ago, will be found, despite his killer dying without revealing where it is.
Bradley John Murdoch, 67, died from throat cancer on Tuesday, while under the watch of correctional officers, a month after being moved from jail to Alice Springs Hospital in the Northern Territory.
Murdoch was given a life sentence for the murder of Falconio, a 28-year-old British backpacker, and the assault and attempted kidnapping of Falconio’s then-girlfriend Joanne Lees, now 51, on the lonely Sturt Highway near Barrow Creek in July 2001.
Falconio’s body has never been found.
Authorities remain hopeful, however, after a $500,000 reward for information was announced in June.
“The Northern Territory Police Force remains committed to resolving this final piece of the investigation,” investigators said on Wednesday.
“It is deeply regrettable that Murdoch has died without, as far as we are aware, ever disclosing the location of Peter Falconio’s remains.
“His silence has denied the Falconio family the closure they have so long deserved.”
Murdoch’s family released a statement on Wednesday, saying he was “deeply loved” and would be “deeply missed”.
They said Murdoch had always denied responsibility for the murder, “from his arrest until his death” and that he was liked and respected by fellow inmates and correctional officers.
“We understand that the public perception of Bradley will always be shaped by his conviction, but our intention is simply to share the man we knew, the version of him that was rarely, if ever, seen beyond our family and close friends,” the statement said.
The family said there had been one final avenue of hope for Murdoch, a petition of mercy. But it never came to anything.
Murdoch twice appealed to overturn his convictions, and was unsuccessful both times.
His death in custody will be subject to a mandatory coronial inquest.
Haunted by memories
Murdoch’s death has brought back memories for loved ones of the brutal murder that captured global attention and inspired the horror film Wolf Creek.
Falconio and Lees were driving along the Stuart Highway 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 then grabbed her, cable-tied her and covered her head.
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 is believed to have hidden Falconio’s body, which hasn’t been found despite extensive searches.
Even after the NT passed “no body, no parole” laws in 2016 that ensured Murdoch would spend the rest of his days behind bars, he never revealed his secret.
“It is disappointing for the Falconio family that this case remains unresolved and they are still without the closure they deserve,” NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said.
Falconio’s father said he was rattled by the news of Murdoch’s death, which came a day after the 24th anniversary of the horrific murder.
Luciano Falconio said the weight of his son’s loss had never dissipated and the wounds would remain forever open due to the mystery of where his son’s body was.
“You harden with it,” he told News Corp.
In 2016, detectives who worked on the case said they believed Murdoch would never reveal the site where he had hidden Falconio’s body.
“He’ll always maintain his innocence; he’ll take that to his grave, I’d be very surprised if he didn’t,” Colleen Gwynne, who led the four-person team that put Murdoch behind bars, said in 2016.
“He’s an extremely arrogant man, so he still feels like the system’s done him wrong.”
Lees has also suffered from the lack of answers and trauma of that fateful day, later revealing that she never married or had children.
“Pete lost his life on that night but I lost mine too,” she said in a TV interview in 2017.
“I’ll never be fully at peace if Pete’s not found, but I accept that is a possibility.”
But others have raised doubts about Murdoch’s guilt, despite a unanimous jury decision at his 2005 trial.
Author Robin Bowles, who wrote the book Dead Centre after spending 60 hours interviewing Murdoch in prison, described the killer as “very courteous” and a “gentle giant”.
“I never had a lie from him,” she told ABC Radio.
-with AAP
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