Killer denied parole with location of body still unknown

A man who admitted the callous abduction and killing of a young Queenslander over a $7000 drug debt has had his bid for parole rejected for saying he is unable reveal the location of the victim's body.

Mackay's Tim Pullen, who was killed in April, 2012.

WITHOUT the body of his victim, there will be no parole for a man who admitted to the manslaughter of Mackay man Timothy Pullen.

Zane Tray Lincoln, of the Sunshine Coast, was denied parole by the Queensland Parole Board on Tuesday under a Queensland law which stipulates those charged with manslaughter or murder are ineligible for parole until they help reveal the location of their victim's body.

Lincoln is serving a nine year sentence for callous abduction and killing of Mr Pullen in 2012. In handing down its decision the board ruled it was not "satisfied" the applicant had cooperated satisfactorily to identify the location of the body.

Mr Pullen was abducted, killed and dumped in bushland on April 16, 2012 over a $7000 drug debt.

Before Mr Pullen's body was dumped three hours out of Mackay, it was stored in a nightclub coldroom ,a court was told in 2016. His body was never recovered, but four people were jailed for manslaughter over their involvement in the death. Two further people were jailed for accessory after the fact to manslaughter, linked to the dumping of Mr Pullen's body.

In the schedule of facts read to the court in 2016 for the case of the Crown v Lincoln it was revealed Lincoln told two men there was a $30,000 bounty on Mr Pullen's head.

The no body, no parole laws were introduced in August 2017. Their purpose is to incentivise prisoners and help victims' families by locating remains. A publication released by the Queensland Parole Board on Tuesday justifies the decision made by the board. It said the ruling was "fortified" by statements made by the applicant which show he was the organiser of the group and "has the capacity to provide further information" which may assist in identifying the location of Tim Pullen's body.

Hearing that their son's killer would be kept behind bars brought a wave of relief for Leanne and Gary Pullen. But it also left them with mixed feelings.

Mrs Pullen said it was a very anxious time waiting, but it was still not the outcome they want.

"Obviously, the ultimate outcome would be that (Lincoln) gave police the details of where Tim's location is," she said. "Although I am happy to have him in prison, I would be happier to have Tim to bury. We still live in hope."

In the six years since her son's death, Mrs Pullen has started to lose hope that the people who killed her son will confess where his remains are.

Tim Pullen's parents, Gary and Leanne Pullen,

"I don't know the perpetrators will disclose where his remains are; I am starting to realise especially with this legislation they have not been forthcoming," she said.

"Our real hope is that somebody accidentally finds him.

"That will be my dying wish. That I could say goodbye to him respectfully."

As Christmas approaches, Mrs Pullen said she hopes, like always, that this time someone might come forward with information.

"Out of those six people (who were charged), you can't tell me none of them spoke to no-one. There has to be someone in the community who knows what happened to Tim," she said.

"What a great Christmas gift that would be. Nobody wants to bury their child, but when you know that is your only outcome, what better Christmas can we have."

Mrs Pullen urged anyone with information which may lead to the location of her son's remains to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Timeline:

April 14, 2012: Kiera Jeanette McKay contacts Zane Tray Lincoln to inform him Timothy Pullen was staying at her unit.

April 15, 2012: Zane Tray Lincoln meets with Kiera Jeanette McKay and Nicholas Voorwinden at the North Mackay Bowls Club. Lincoln tells the other two there is a $30,000 bounty on Mr Pullen's head and that he needs access to the unit. A plan is hatched to keep the backdoor unlocked.

April 16, 2012: Timothy Pullen is sleeping on the couch of former couple Nicholas Voorwinden and Kiera Jeanette McKay in North Mackay. Four men enter through an unlocked door and kill him.

April 17, 2012: Mr Pullen's body is dumped near Collinsville.

July 19, 2013: Zane Tray Lincoln is charged with murder.

July 23, 2013: Stephen Dale Renwick is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

July 24, 2013: Luke Shayne Kister is charged with accessory.

July 25, 2013: Renwick and Kister are granted bail.

August 2013: McKay and Voorwinden are charged with manslaughter, for allowing Mr Pullen's killers to enter the unit.

March 2, 2015: McKay and Voorwinden plead guilty to manslaughter. They both get five-year sentences.

March 3, 2015: Renwick and Benjamin Francis Graeme Oakley are charged with murder.

May 31, 2016: Oakley and Lincoln are sentenced to eight and nine years' prison.

November 8, 2018: Stephen Dale Renwick by Queensland Parole Board.

December 19, 2018: Lincoln denied bail by Queensland Parole Board.