Police say bones found in Brighton septic pit could belong to murder victim

UPDATE: Detectives are investigating if bones found in a disused septic pit in Brisbane’s north belong to a man living at the property who was murdered up to 30 years ago.

Emergency services at the scene where human remains were found at Brighton yesterday. Picture: Liam Kidston

• Human remains found at Brighton

DETECTIVES are investigating if bones found in a disused septic pit in Brisbane’s north belong to a man living at the property who was murdered up to 30 years ago.

The remains were found in the pit during an inspection at Autism Queensland’s Brighton property in North Rd on Tuesday, along with a running shoe.

The Courier-Mail has been told Wayne Youngkin lived at the house for a lengthy period after he was brought up by his grandparents.

Mr Youngkin, who was born in 1956, was last seen in the area at the end of 1986.

He was believed to have gone interstate or further north in Queensland, according to people who knew him.

Police conducted searches in Brisbane’s north in the early 1990s after receiving information.

“He was there from the time he was a baby until he was an adult,” a woman who knew Mr Youngkin said of the home where he lived.

“He lived with his grandparents. His mother died when he was six weeks old.” The woman said they last saw Mr Youngkin when he was aged in his late 20s and believed he had travelled north where his father lived.

“He was a very quiet boy who kept to himself,” she said.

“He wasn’t really a talker. He was a sort of normal-type kid. “ The woman said the grandmother at the North Rd home had one of her son’s living with her in the mid to late 1980s however he died.

Bones found in the septic pit were sent to the John Tonge Centre for testing yesterday and police said it may take some time before a positive identification is made.

Property records list Autism Queensland owning the property from 1987.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mick O’Dowd appealed for anyone to come forward about missing men in the Brighton and Sandgate area up to 30 years ago.

He said police were confident of being able to get a positive identification from the bones.

Supt O’Dowd said police did not have any persons of interest “at this stage” and confirmed officers were treating the investigation as suspicious.

He said it was unusual where the body was found and believed whoever dumped it would have had an understanding of the area.

“The conclusion would be that someone would have known the pit was there,” he said.

“And probably unused, depending on the age of the pit.”

Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000

The scene where human remains have been discovered. Photographer: Liam Kidston

“That will take some time, examination for DNA and those types of things as you understand in this situation will be difficult and will be time consuming,” he said.

OVERNIGHT REPORT: DETECTIVES are investigating if bones found in a disused septic pit in Brisbane’s north are those of a person suspected murdered more than 20 years ago.

The remains, which police say are from a male, were found in the pit during an inspection at Autism Queensland’s Brighton property in North Rd on Tuesday, along with clothes.

The Courier-Mail understands police are investigating if the remains belong to a man who went missing in the late 1980s or early 1990s and was aged in his late 20s or 30s.

It is understood the remains were yet to be retrieved late yesterday and police will have to send them for analysis to get a positive identification.

Detectives are investigating missing people in the area and in Queensland and officers say their search will include national databases.

Emergency services at the scene yesterday.

The pit is at the back of a house at the rear of the property, which is used by the school’s administrators.

The homicide squad is assisting the investigation which has been described by officers as suspicious.

Police have appealed for anyone who has information about missing people in the Brighton area to come forward.

Historic missing persons cases are being investigated.

Acting Superintendent Mick O’Dowd said no jewellery or watches were found in the pit.

“It’s not a large-type septic tank that people might associate with,” he said. “Once the lid is removed from the pit, vision is quite obvious to observe what is inside.”

Property records list Autism Queensland owning the property from 1987.

A woman who used to be registered as living at the address declined to comment other than saying it was a police matter.

Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000