Mackay police appeal for information, dashcam vision in Rene Latimore homicide investigation

Detectives are appealing for CCTV or dashcam footage in the Koumala and Ilbilbie areas as police confirm the body of a woman found south of Mackay is Renee Latimore.

Detectives have confirmed the body of a woman found at a rural property south of Mackay was Renee Latimore.

Police received the post-mortem results and released the information on Thursday.

Forensic tests have identified the human remains as Renee Latimore, 31, who was reported missing from the Koumala area on August 18.

She was last seen alive on August 9 and her body was found on a rural Koumala property on August 29.

A crime scene was set up and Mackay Criminal Investigation Branch and Homicide Investigation Unit detectives are investigating.

Police are appealing for information, CCTV or dashcam vision from those who live in the Koumala and Ilbilbie areas that show the movement of vehicles or people in the area between August 8 and 11.

Detectives also encourage anyone who had interactions with Rene Latimore prior to her disappearance to come forward, as any information could help in further investigations.

The body of Rene Latimore was found on a rural property at Koumala, August 2021. Picture: Contributed

Mackay Detective Inspector Tom Armitt said the death was being treated as suspicious and investigations were yet to reveal a cause of death.

“It would appear the deceased has been deceased for quite a period of time,” he said.

Forensic testing would help determine the possible final moments leading up to her death.

Mackay councillor Marty Bella had recently bought the property but the transaction had not yet been completed.

Ms Latimore had lived there with her family for an extended period and was set to move out by October.

Inspector Armitt said an item pulled from a body of water near the property was not connected to the human remains but had been sent for testing.

He said the item appeared to have been in the water for an “extremely long time” and did not appear to be related to the grim discovery.

Rene Latimore was seen at Sarina supermarket at the beginning of August, 2021. Picture: Queensland Police Media

He said homicide investigators were appealing for members of the public to report any contact they had with Ms Latimore – a mother to a 14-year-old boy – to come forward.

He said police were interested in gauging any mindset, fears or concerns Ms Latimore may have had before she vanished.

The last confirmed sighting was on August 9 near Ilbilbie, and a formal missing persons report was made on August 18.

“We will be conducting as many inquiries as we can,” he said.

Ms Latimore’s family had searched the 242 hectare property days before police combed through the area.

Specialist officers and RACQ CQ Rescue crews began the search on Thursday, finding the body about 2.30pm Sunday.

“They conducted their own cursory search but there’s only so much a small group of people can cover,” he said.