Man fronts court charged with murder of woman found in Flinders Ranges shallow grave

A Kurralta Park man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 21-year-old carer Jasmeen Kaur, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave near Hawker.

A man has fronted court charged with murder after Major Crime Detectives located the body of Jasmeen Kaur in a shallow grave in the Flinders Ranges north of Hawker. Picture: SA Police

The man charged with murdering a woman known to him and burying her in a shallow Outback grave has appeared in court.

The man, 20, of Kurralta Park, appeared via video link at the Port Augusta Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon dressed in a white gown and handcuffed to the wall.

Magistrate Gregory Fisher suppressed the man’s identity for 30 days after police argued revealing it could hinder the ongoing investigation.

The man did not apply for bail in court on Tuesday.

Court documents obtained by The Advertiser show the man allegedly murdered Jasmeen Kaur, 21, a care worker, some time between March 4 and March 8 “at Parachilna or other places”.

Her body was found in a shallow grave at Moralana Creek about 40km north of Hawker.

Parachilna is about 60km north of that location.

Jasmeen Kaur was found dead buried in a shallow grave in the Flinders Ranges. Picture released by her family`

It remains unclear exactly where the woman was killed.

It was alleged the man led police to the burial site on Sunday, while denying having anything to do with her death. Police excavated the grave on Monday.

The woman’s family say the pair were known to each other.

The court documents show the man is a student at Federation University and works as a respite carer.

When asking for his identity to be suppressed, a police prosecutor told Magistrate Fisher: “We are not exactly sure where crime scenes might be involved”.

“The defendant had travelled from Adelaide to a location north of Hawker, where the body was located, and en route he must necessarily have stopped at either a service station or toilet or somewhere along the way,” she said.

“Investigations into those things are crucial to determine timelines and gather further evidence.”

Police outside the Port Augusta Magistrates Court after the 20-year-old Kurralta Park man appeared. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

The man was remanded in custody to face court again in December.

Ms Kaur’s distraught Adelaide-based relatives told The Advertiser they were grieving the “missing person” from their western suburbs home at Flinders Park.

A family spokesman said: “We are missing a piece of our family from the dining room table.”

An autopsy will determine how and when the woman died.

Police at the care home in the western suburbs, where possible murder victim Jasmeen Kaur worked. Picture: Andrew Hough

Near the shallow grave by a gum tree. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Police allege that on Sunday, the man took them to a site he identified on the eastern side of The Outback Highway, 100m from the road, where officers located a shallow grave in a dry creek bed filled with soft dirt.

The ground had been levelled off to remove any sign of the grave but Superintendent Bray said it was “obvious” to crime scene experts that someone had been buried there.

A tyre with the words “No camping” painted on it was seen resting against the tree next to the burial site.

Care home management referred inquiries to police, who yesterday interviewed her co-workers as officers also doorknocked neighbours.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au