Scott Cabrie alleged murder: How a missing person case ended in tragedy

The alleged murder of an Uber driver in a teen carjacking gone wrong has rocked a Queensland seaside village. Here’s how police allege a robbery ended in the violent death of a ‘wonderful man’.

The mysterious five days between Uber driver Scott Cabrie picking up three teens and the tragic discovery of his body are becoming increasingly clear, as shocking allegations continue to be unearthed.

Investigators are working to piece together the puzzle surrounding the crime that has rocked Hervey Bay and made headlines across the country.

Family and friends say the 47-year-old’s disappearance was out of character, and for 120 hours they held their breath. They hoped for the best. They feared the worst.

As one of the first Uber drivers to get behind the wheel in the seaside village, he spent years getting people home safely.

But, this time, it was his safety in jeopardy. He went to work and never came home.

Posts on Facebook grew increasingly urgent in the days he was gone, as frantic friends shared messages begging for answers and help to find their mate.

When those questions were answered, it was news nobody wanted to hear.

Discovery of Scott Cabrie’s body

The discovery of the popular Uber driver’s body, which had multiple stab wounds, left his community heartbroken at the violent death of a man who was known for his kind heart and easygoing smile.

They are mourning the man whose car proudly displayed children’s drawings gifted to him by happy customers, and a handmade box bearing the words “Scotty’s tips”.

Mr Cabrie’s body was found on February 12 after a search near the boat ramp at Power House Road in Howard.

His burnt-out blue Nissan X-Trail, which he had used to get so many people to their destinations, was discovered earlier that day.

Suspects charged over ‘robbery gone wrong’

Late Sunday afternoon, police revealed a 17-year-old boy had been charged with murder over Mr Cabrie’s death and later that night, 18-year-old Tye Wayne Porter was also charged.

More allegations emerged this week, with police alleging Mr Cabrie was the victim of a robbery gone wrong.

Police will allege Mr Cabrie was working as an Uber driver in the early hours of February 7 and received a job to collect three people from a house.

It is understood police will allege the two teen boys hatched a plan to rob the Uber driver before jumping him at Pacific Haven and holding him against his will.

They then allegedly drove Mr Cabrie’s car toward Howard, about a 10-minute drive from the pick-up location.

Mr Cabrie’s body was found near the Howard boat ramp five days later.

Tye Wayne Porter, 18, appeared briefly in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Monday, where his matter was adjourned until April 20.

Police reveal allegations over ‘tragic circumstances’

Detective Superintendent Darrin Shadlow addressed media on Monday where he confirmed the chilling details of how Mr Cabrie went to work and never returned, a situation he said amounted to “tragic circumstances”.

“Police will allege a robbery was attempted of that male Uber driver, which unfortunately escalated and that male person was subsequently killed by these people,” he said.

Superintendent Shadlow said neither of the teens were on bail at the time of the alleged incident.

He said neither had been through the court system.

Detective Superintendent Darrin Shadlow addresses media in the wake of the media charges.

The 17-year-old had been dealt with under the Youth Justice Act previously.

“It’s certainly a tragic, tragic circumstance where a 47-year-old person goes about their business and unfortunately doesn’t come home,” Superintendent Shadlow said.

“It affects, obviously, his immediate family and friends but also the wider Hervey Bay community.”

The heartbreaking loss of a ‘wonderful person’

Mr Cabrie’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief across the country.

His friend and fellow Uber driver Yvette Beattie paid tribute to Mr Cabrie on Monday, saying it was a “tragic loss”.

Scott Cabrie.

“Scott was a wonderful and lovely person,” she said.

“He will be sorely missed. He would do anything for anyone and always had a smile on his face.”

Uber drivers who worked together in Hervey Bay were close-knit, Ms Beattie said.

A 30-minute community vigil will be held for Mr Cabrie from 6.30pm on Friday February 16 next to the sailing club at Torquay Beach.

Ms Beattie said members of the community were encouraged to take their own candles “so we can come together as a community of Hervey Bay and surrounding areas and pay our respects for Scotty”.

She said he was an integral member of the community “in every way possible”.

Police at the crime scene.

“He not only serviced the area driving Uber but also worked for the local radio station helping with their promotions,” Ms Beattie said.

Rideshare driver safety under spotlight

In the wake of the tragedy, Uber’s safety measures have come under scrutiny.

Rideshare Driver Network revealed it was “not surprised” by the alleged murder of Mr Cabrie, with calls for passengers to be “screened” to ensure the safety of all drivers.

“Every day in Australia, rideshare drivers working for Uber, Ola, DiDi and others work hard to make sure the public gets to their destination efficiently and safely. But safety is a two-way street,” a spokesman said.

Hervey Bay Uber driver Scott Cabrie.

The company said it was “not surprised this horrendous loss of a valuable community member has occurred, only that it has not happened sooner”.

“The current case, where a driver has allegedly been murdered by a 17-year-old passenger is an example of the lack of care exhibited by both rideshare companies and by the Queensland government.”

Transport Workers Union national secretary Michael Kaine said Mr Cabrie’s death highlighted how dangerous the industry was.

“We know from our community of rideshare driver members that Scott Cabrie was an experienced driver and well-respected by his peers,” Mr Kaine said.

“With no system in Australia to provide entitlements to gig economy workers, rideshare drivers have no rights to minimum wage, workers’ compensation, or protections from unfair deactivation.”

Mr Kaine said “the deprivation of rights makes these workers incredibly vulnerable”.

Uber responds to loss of its own driver

An Uber spokesman described the alleged murder of one of its drivers as “shocking”.

Scott Cabrie's body was found at Howard.

“This is a tragic and shocking incident, and our thoughts and sincere condolences are with Mr Cabrie’s loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesman said.

“Our law enforcement engagement team is working with the Queensland police to assist in their investigation, and we are currently reaching out to Mr Cabrie’s next of kin to offer our support.”

Uber did not respond to questions about driver safety or whether the incident would prompt additional safety measures to be adopted.

The company said it offered support to its drivers by way of insurance to help them in case anything goes wrong and also has former police officers on its team who are available at all hours.