Peter Falconio’s dad breaks silence amid reports Bradley John Murdoch close to death
In a rare interview, the father of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio tells of his pain amid reports killer Bradley John Murdoch is dying.
True Crime
Don't miss out on the headlines from True Crime. Followed categories will be added to My News.
EXCLUSIVE
The elderly father of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio is desperately clinging onto hope he will find out where his son’s body is before he dies.
In a rare sit-down interview on the 24th anniversary of his son’s murder, Luciano Falconio told News Corp from his home at Hepworth, 300km north of London, of his ongoing pain suffered since Peter was murdered.
His emotional comments come amid reports that convicted murderer Bradley John Murdoch has just “a couple of days to live” in his battle against throat cancer.
The 83-year-old said he doesn’t know if he and his wife Joan will “live long enough” to ever find out where their son’s body is located.
“Today is an important day,” he told News Corp, 24 years to the day that his son was killed.
“It is very significant, I wish I could find him and make an end to it, bury him.
“(I want to) find where he is buried and what happened to him, even me, I don’t know.
“I know what happened but I don’t know where he is.
“I still hope, yeah I still hope, but I don’t know, if we (will) live long enough”.
Peter was murdered on July 14, 2001 after Mr Murdoch persuaded him and his British girlfriend Joanne Lees to pull over late at night as they were driving through the outback between Alice Springs and Darwin while on a backpacking holiday.
Sitting on a sofa couch inside his two-storey West Yorkshire home with framed photographs of his family including grandchildren dotted around his living room, Mr Falconio stopped short of commenting on the news that Mr Murdoch’s ill health could see him die within days.
The 67-year-old murderer remains in care at Alice Springs Hospital and he has always denied murdering Mr Falconio.
Mr Murdoch is dying from metastasised throat cancer and has never revealed where he dumped the body of Mr Falconio, who was 28 years old at the time of his murder.
The drug runner shot the British backpacker in the head near Barrow Creek in remote Northern Territory and he was not charged until two years later in 2003.
He was found guilty in the NT Supreme Court in 2005 and is serving a life sentence with a non-parole period of 28 years.
He was also convicted of assault-related charges and deprivation of liberty relating to Ms Lees, whom he bound up with cable ties.
Ms Lees, who lives in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, managed to escape and hid in bushland for five hours before she managed to wave down a passing vehicle to seek help.
Mr Falconio was asked if he had been contacted by any Australian authorities including the police since the latest reports emerged that Mr Murdoch may die within days, but he said he had not.
“Not today, not yesterday or last week,” he said.
He said the torment he and his wife have lived with for years not knowing where their son is has never subsided and the feeling of tragedy, heartbreak and pain never eases.
“It is important (to find Peter)...but we won’t find anything today,” Mr Falconio said.
“It’s 20-odd years so it’s (the feeling is) not particularly any different.
“Twenty years is a very long time”.
Admitting he has rarely spoken to the media since his son’s murder 24 years ago, Mr Falconio said he has a message to share with Australians.
“Thank every Australian, because I have got nothing against Australia,” he said.
“Most people are (supportive)”.
In March when reports first emerged that Mr Murdoch was dying of throat cancer, Mrs Falconio told News Corp, we “have been through this before”.
“I’ve been in touch with [a friend in] Australia and we don’t know if it’s true because it’s happened before,” Mrs Falconio said.
“This was being told back in 2021 and the time before that as well so it might not be true.
“I’ve got this in hand with somebody in Australia”.
More Coverage
Originally published as Peter Falconio’s dad breaks silence amid reports Bradley John Murdoch close to death
Join the conversation
Man fighting for life after being struck by car on northwest Tassie highway
Police have now identified a man with critical injuries after being struck by a car in Tassie’s northwest late Tuesday night.
Read more
First pic: Falconio murderer’s eerie grin before death
Bradley Murdoch’s family has broken decades of silence to mark his passing, praise him for his positive qualities and maintain his long-held claims of innocence.
Read more