Pheobe Bishop death: Relationships revealed between Gin Gin accused

A surprising web involving alleged murder victim Pheobe Bishop’s inner circle has been revealed, with those charged in relation to her death reportedly linked by a complicated relationship.

The exposed relationships of those charged in relation to Pheobe Bishop's alleged murder.

A love triangle between the trio charged in the Pheobe Bishop murder investigation and an alleged pub fight in the days following her disappearance has been revealed.

It’s understood Tanika Bromley, 33, and James Wood, 34, had recently separated and Bromley had started “seeing” Kieran Mittelheuser, 30.

The former couple is charged with murder and two counts of interfering with a corpse while Mittelheuser is charged with accessory after the fact to murder and fraud.

Pheobe was 17 years old when she vanished on May 15, 2025, while on her way to Bundaberg Airport to catch a flight to visit her boyfriend in Western Australia.
Three weeks later, and following intense searches near Bundaberg and Gin Gin, where she had been living with those charged (Wood was staying in a bus in the yard), her body was discovered in bushland in Good Night Scrub National Park.
Police allege Bromley and Wood moved Pheobe’s body twice after she died.

Missing 17-year-old girl continues., , Pheobe Bishop, pictured, has not been seen or heard from since May 15., , A property in Gin Gin and a grey Hyundai ix35 are active crime scenes.

Police allege Mittelheuser used Pheobe’s phone to interfere with the police investigation following her death and tried to use her debit/credit card.

While his exact relationship to Wood and Bromley was initially unclear, a friend of Bromley has since told News.com.au she believes Bromley and Mittelheuser were “seeing each other” around the time of Pheobe’s disappearance.

All four lived together at a rental property in Gin Gin, according to the friend.

“Kieren was a friend of James Wood and had moved in there,” the friend said.
She added that Wood and Bromley had broken up before Pheobe disappeared.

Following their split, Wood reportedly moved into a bus on the littered property, while Bromley and Mittelheuser stayed in the house and allegedly began a relationship.

Kieren Daniel Mittelheuser. PICTURE: Facebook

The friend recalls that two days after Pheobe vanished, on May 17, Wood, Bromley, and Mittelheuser went out for dinner at a local pub, where Bromley and Wood had a “big fight” in the smoking area.

“I asked what’s wrong T, talk to me, but she didn’t,” the friend said.

She expressed concern over Bromley’s living situation, saying she had repeatedly urged her to move out.

“I told her over and over,” she said.

In addition to the murder charges, police have also charged Bromley and Wood with unrelated offences after allegedly finding a shortened firearm, replica handguns, and ammunition during a search of Bromley’s car.

During the weeks-long search for Pheobe, the rental property was declared a crime scene.
Bromley was bailed to a family member’s home in Gin Gin, while Wood appeared to be living out of Bromley’s Hyundai in Bundaberg after it was released back to him by police.

Tanika Bromley at the Gin Gin police station. Picture: Liam Kidston

Bromley and Wood’s bail conditions prohibit them from contacting each other, but Bromley reportedly sent messages to a friend expressing worry for Wood, news.com.au reported.

“I haven’t seen or spoken to him since I was arrested last Sunday.
“Hot meal and a shower is probably what he needs,” she wrote.

She also indicated plans to leave town once the legal matters were resolved: “Once we are cleared of all this and weapons sh*t is done we will be out of this town so fast.
“Just easier to ignore it, (it) will all go away.”

Bromley also complained about people “hunting” Wood while he was on bail, with one even videoing him while he was asleep in his car at a public park.

James Wood was filmed sleeping in his car early on in the search for Pheobe Bishop as his home was a crime scene. Picture Facebook

“It’s ridiculous what they are doing to him and I can’t even help,” she reportedly said.
“Because of bail conditions I’m not even allowed to talk to him,” news.com.au reported.

Wood and Bromley were arrested on the night of June 5 — the day before Pheobe’s body was found south of Gin Gin.

The friend described Bromley’s decision to move in with Wood around November 2024 as a mistake.

“Tanika was never like that with her house,” she said.

She also disapproved of Bromley’s more recent relationship with Mittelheuser, a Bundaberg local.

“I used to go around there a lot because I felt sorry for those young boys and for Phee.”

Wood, Bromley, and Mittelheuser remain in custody awaiting court appearances.
Wood and Bromley are scheduled to appear on August 11, and Mittelheuser on August 25.

Originally published as Pheobe Bishop death: Relationships revealed between Gin Gin accused