Man charged with murder after body found in search for missing Afghan man on Eyre Highway in SA’s Far West

A Melbourne man has been charged with the murder of his Adelaide friend, whose body was found near the WA border. The identity of the victim has now been revealed.

The car and the body were found between the Nullarbor Roadhouse and Ceduna.

• Devestated friends mourn loss of man allegedly murdered in Outback

A Melbourne man has been charged with murder of his Adelaide friend, whose body was found near the WA border.

Police believe the body of Ibrahim Hotak was found about 3.30pm on Monday about four hours west of Ceduna.

He was one of two Afghan men travelling in a Holden wagon, which ran out of petrol about 10.30am on Monday.

Major Crime detectives arrested and charged a 32-year-old man from Melbourne with murder late on Monday night.

Ibrahim Hotak was allegedly murdered in SA’s outback. His body was found about 100km east of the Nullarbor Roadhouse. Picture: Facebook

He has been refused bail and is set to appear in court on Tuesday.

Police on Tuesday said the victim was from Adelaide.

They also confirmed the men had been friends for several years and were “possibly traveling from Melbourne through to Perth for social reasons”.

Officer in charge of western area, Superintendent Julie Thomas declined to comment on whether the men were known to police but said there was no evidence the men were involved in criminal activity.

“This is a complicated investigation given the distances involved,” she said.

“The two gentleman are known to each other, they are believed to have been friends for sometime.”

She refused to discuss a motive, which was subject to an “ongoing investigation”.

A farmer stopped to help the second man after his 2018 Holden wagon ran out of fuel near Nundroo, about 160km west of Ceduna.

The farmer took the driver 60km to the Aboriginal community of Yalata, before local police agreed to return the man to his grey TJ Holden wagon.

The Nullarbor Roadhouse

However, officers noticed blood inside and on the panels of the vehicle, and immediately cordoned off the area and declared it a crime scene.

Police say they believe the blood may have belonged to a second man, thought to have been travelling in the vehicle. He was unable to be located near the scene.

Major Crime detectives were called and a search involving sniffer dogs and forensic investigators was launched on Monday afternoon.

Late on Monday night, police said the man had been charged.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray appealed for information from motorists who may have seen two Afghan men or their vehicle, which has the registration 1MW-8SG.

Supt Bray said the last confirmed sighting of the vehicle was at 5.46pm Sunday, at Port Augusta.

He urged anyone who had been travelling on the Eyre Hwy between Port Augusta and the Nullarbor Roadhouse, near the SA-WA border, to check dashcam footage and alert police.

A car on the side of the Eyre Highway near Nundroo, which police have declared a crime scene in the search for a missing man in SA's Far West. Picture: SA Police

Ceduna Police have established a Police Forward Command Post at Nundroo and are co-ordinating the investigation with detectives from the Major Crime Investigation Branch, a police dog team and Forensic Response investigators who flew to the area from Adelaide on Monday.

Anyone who has seen the vehicle or the men is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or report online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au