Finch Hatton death: Woman’s death ‘suspicious’ after wilful damage, car stolen

Police found a man performing CPR on a 69-year-old woman in the back seat of a ‘stolen’ car in a bizarre chain of events leading to a suspicious death investigation.

Police are investigating possible links between a woman’s death in a reported traffic incident and a wilful damage in a series of events that have stunned a rural town west of Mackay.

A 69-year-old Finch Hatton woman died in what police initially believed was a traffic incident on Zahmel St about 5.30pm Monday.

But Acting Detective Inspector Scott Ingram said further inquiries had indicated the woman’s death was suspicious, and potentially linked to an earlier wilful damage at a Boulder Rd property near Finch Hatton Gorge.

A man is helping police following the death of a woman in Zahmel St at Finch Hatton on July 4. Picture: Rae Wilson and Tara Miko

A Mackay man, 37, was taken into custody and is helping police with inquiries about the unusual series of events that included a police vehicle window being smashed.

Inspector Ingram said three incidents are being investigated, the first being a reported wilful damage at a Boulder Rd property about 12.30pm.

Police are investigating the suspicious death of a 69-year-old woman at Finch Hatton on July 4. A 37-year-old Mackay man is helping police. There were two incidents at two separate Boulder Rd addresses. The woman died at Zahmel St. A police vehicle was damaged when the man was taken into police custody. Picture: Rae Wilson and Tara Miko

“Police were called to that address but the suspect offender has fled that scene,” he said.

“A short time later, it appears the offender has stolen a vehicle from a nearby address in the same street.

“That vehicle is a Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD 2003 model.

“And then approximately 5.30pm yesterday, police were called to what they initially believed was a traffic incident (on Zahmel St).

“It would appear the female was put into the vehicle from an incident earlier in the day but we are yet to confirm that.

“The vehicle has stopped in Zahmel St.”

Finch Hatton Police Station on the night a 69-year-old woman died in a fatal crash on a private property nearby. July 4, 2022. Picture: Rae Wilson

The woman owned the Pajero at the centre of the ongoing investigation.

Inspector Ingram said officers found the 69-year-old woman in the back seat of the Pajero with a man performing CPR on her.

She died at the scene. Inspector Ingram said post-mortem results were yet to determine her injuries or how she died.

“At that time it was established the male was suspected to be involved in the previous incident but his involvement in the … death of the 69 year old is now the subject of an investigation,” he said.

It is believed the police vehicle was damaged as the man was taken into custody.

No charges have been filed.

The recent wet weather has hampered police access to the two Boulder Rd properties, with the notoriously flood-prone crossing on the Finch Hatton Gorge access road blocked.

But investigators had attended both scenes on Boulder Rd and the scene on Zahmel St.

All three are believed to be on private property

Flood waters prevented access on Tuesday to the Boulder Rd properties.

Inspector Ingram said early inquiries about the 37-year-old Mackay man’s movements in the Finch Hatton area indicated he had been staying with friends in the area.

The man and the deceased woman were not known to each other.

Inspector Ingram appealed for anyone with information about the Pajero at Boulder Rd or Zahmel St to phone police.

He said investigators were interested in any dashcam or movements of the Pajero in the area from Boulder Rd about 12.30pm to the later traffic incident on Zahmel St about 5.30pm.

“Anyone with knowledge of the wilful damage incident that occurred around 12.30, the movements of the Pajero between Boulder St and Zahmel St about 5.30 in the afternoon – so about five hours – and anyone who may have dashcam around that time (to come forward),” he said.

“We are speaking with a number of people who were onsite at the time.”

Inspector Ingram said residents of Finch Hatton had been helping police with their investigation.

“I’m sure they will be stunned by it,” he said.