Paul Kingsbury inquest: Slain son’s father opens up on murder probe

The father of Paul Kingsbury has shaken his head at an inquest finding and what he claims was a botched police investigation into the likely murder of his son, whose killer is yet to face justice.

The father of Paul Kingsbury has shaken his head at an inquest finding and what he claims was a botched police investigation into the likely murder of his son, whose killer is yet to face justice.

Gary Kingsbury said he took no comfort despite a coroner ruling his son was, in fact, dead and not missing – the first formal admission of that fact by a court since he disappeared in 2014.

He will now receive a death certificate for his boy after an agonising, almost decade long wait. Something his wife, Sharon, craved before she died “from a broken heart” in 2020 due to the torment of the unsolved act.

Their son, one of five boys in the family, was just 27 when he was likely executed at the hands of callous standover merchants in Geelong.

Gary Kingsbury with a photo of his son. Picture: Alison Wynd

Mr Kingsbury said he was confident he knew who was responsible for his son’s death, calling his alleged killer, or killers, “cowards”.

It comes as coroner Leveasque Peterson said she was unable to exclude known thug John Nelis as being involved in his death, but pointed to a “lack of answers” for being unable to conclude who the culprit was.

Nelis, who was convicted and jailed for shooting another man dead in a Corio caravan in 2021, held Paul Kingsbury hostage in a Moolap shed armed with a sawn-off shotgun on the morning he vanished off the face of the earth.

His body has never been found.

“I’m disappointed they have come up with nothing,” he said after the coroner’s ruling.

“After nine years what have we got?

“It’s very wearing on you, I’ve had enough.”

John Nelis and Aaron Burnie.

Mr Kingsbury placed a gravesite and headstone for his son next to his wife at the Drysdale cemetery in 2020, despite not having any remains to bury.

“That’s all she ever wanted,” he said.

He remains bewildered that crucial evidence has never been found to convict someone.

“There are many examples of police incompetence during this investigation,” he said.

“It’s a sick joke.”

He said Paul Kingsbury’s 14-year old daughter had not been able to claim any money entitled to her while her father’s disappearance remained a mystery.

“The only thing this inquest has given me is a death certificate after nine years,” he said.

“I’ve tried to get one many times from birth, deaths and marriages but was always told Paul was not on the list.

“The soup has been eaten away.”

Nelis, and another man, were arrested over the disapearance in 2014. The charges against the former were discontinued in 2016.

Another Geelong criminal, Aaron Burnie, was also interviewed by police.

Paul Kingsbury.

A Victoria Police spokesman said the homicide squad was still investating “the suspicious disappearance”.

“Despite a significant investigation over the past nine years, Kingsbury’s body has never been located and the exact circumstances surrounding his disappearance are yet to be determined,” she said.

“Any information provided to police about this matter will be thoroughly investigated and we believe there are still people out there who could help solve this case.”

Anyone with information about Kingsbury’s disappearance, including the circumstances or who may be involved, to can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Paul Kingsbury inquest: Slain son’s father opens up on murder probe