Backpack could be the vital piece of evidence in determining what happened to Tiahleigh Palmer

UPDATE: Detectives have again appealed for dashcam footage as they continue to investigate the death of schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, whose body was found in the Pimpama River. The plea comes ahead of tonight’s candlelight vigil.

Can you help find Tia’s killer?

DETECTIVES have issued another appeal for dashcam footage as they continue to investigate the death of schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer.

Police are urging motorists, cyclists or anybody else with a dash cam or similar recording device who travelled along Chambers Flat Rd or Muchow Rd on Friday, October 30, to contact Crime Stoppers.

Anybody who was in the vicinity of the bridge over the Pimpama River on Kerkin Road North between October 30 and November 6 is also urged to come forward.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The renewed plea comes ahead of candlelight vigil planned for the 12-year-old.

Officers returned to the Pimpama River this morning after revealing that a missing pink backpack and school uniform could be key to finding out what happened to the year 7 student.

Fishermen discovered Tiahleigh’s body on Thursday.

There are plans for a candlelight vigil at a park near Marsden State High School in Logan at 6pm today.

Detective Superintendent Dave Hutchinson holds up a pink backpack similar to the one Tiahleigh Palmer, 12, was last seen wearing when she went missing outside Marsden State High School on the morning of October 30. Picture: AAP Image/Nathan Paull

OVERNIGHT: Vital clue in hunt for Tia’s killer

A BRIGHTLY-coloured floral backpack could uncover the dark secret of what happened to Tiahleigh Palmer.

Two days after the 12-year-old girl’s body was found on a lonely stretch of riverbank in a remote corner of the Gold Coast, police yesterday issued a public appeal for any information on Tia’s Mambo backpack and her Marsden State High school uniform.

She was with both when she was dropped off at school on October 30, but she had neither when her body was discovered by fishermen on Thursday night.

A social media image of Tiahleigh Palmer.

Detective Superintendent Dave Hutchinson said the recovery of the backpack and school uniform could provide vital clues in what is already being treated as a homicide investigation.

“We’re interested in speaking with anyone who may have come across that uniform,” he said.

He said it was very early days in the investigation, but police were of the belief Tiah’s body was left at the river, just off Kirkin Road North near Jacobs Well, rather than carried downstream from another dumping site.

Initial post-mortem examinations have not yet been able to determine a cause, or even a time of death.

Police have already spoken with teachers at Marsden High and Detctive Superintendent Hutchinson asked parents of children at Marsden State High to make their own enquiries.

“If she planned on going somewhere that day she probably spoke about it, either that day or on previous days or in the lead-up to it,” he said.

“Speak to their children. Find out if they know anything and if they do, bring them to the police.”

Police are already looking in to Tiahleigh’s complicated personal life and Detective Superintendent Hutchinson said that included family members.

“Nobody is ruled in and nobody is ruled out.”

He also defended the time it took for a public missing person appeal to be issued.

A missing person alert was not distributed until Thursday — six days after she was reported missing.

“There was missing person enquiries conducted by the police on that day and virtually every day from that point on,” he said.

“It was quite an extensive number of enquiries conducted by the police over the days leading up to the broadcast.”

He also asked for motorists with dashboard cameras who drove along Chambers Flat Road on October 30 to come forward.

“It’s a very busy area,” he said.

“People are travelling that road constantly throughout the day.

“If they still have the footage we would like to have a look at it.”

Police and SES crews spent most of yesterday scouring the stretch of Pimpama riverbank near Kirkin Road North for clues but by last night had failed to find any new evidence.

Tia's uniform was described as a white shirt with maroon pinstripes and a blue pleated skirt.

Her Mambo backpack was predominantly purple with multi-coloured floral patterns.

Anyone with any information call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.