Rachel Antonio: Diaries could spark new search for missing teen’s body

POLICE will examine newly discovered diaries to see if they should launch a fresh search for a Queensland schoolgirl missing for 18 years.

• RACHEL ANTONIO: Two days to solve 18-year mystery

POLICE will examine newly discovered Bowen tip diaries to see if they should launch a fresh search for missing schoolgirl Rachel Antonio’s body.

Detectives yesterday confirmed they would investigate searching the tip after its former manager said it could be done with minimal effort.

Local MP Dale Last and Bruce Morcombe threw their weight behind a search, and Acting Premier Curtis Pitt said that the State Government would consider any proposal.

“Getting closure for a family I think is absolutely critical,” Mr Pitt said. “Any measures that we could be taking to ensure that they are able to have that piece of mind, of course, we would be welcoming.”

Rachel’s father Ian has called for the tip to be searched and last night said the police inquiries were a “good start”.

EDITORIAL: Hope that the mystery of Rachel’s disappearance will be solved

Former tip manager Hugh Smith told The Courier-Mail podcast series that his diaries pinpointed where Rachel’s body may have ended up.

Despite extensive searches of thousands of hectares around Bowen, the tip has never been searched and police were unable to use ­cadaver dogs there.

Detective Sergeant Mark Inmon, from Bowen CIB, yesterday said he would contact Mr Smith and examine the diaries to determine what a search would involve.

Police had no information to show Rachel’s body was at the dump, but remained committed to finding her remains, he said.

“We’ll go anywhere as long as it’s reasonable,” Sgt Inmon said.

Rachel Antonio.

Commissioner Ian Stewart said police were following up on the new information.

“If evidence was to emerge identifying a credible new line of inquiry regarding Rachel’s disappearance, then we’re going to follow it up,” Mr Stewart said.

Mr Last, the LNP member for Burdekin, gave “100 per cent” support to a dig and said the passage of time should not diminish efforts to find the missing 16-year-old’s body.

“I don’t think we should leave any stone unturned in investigating Rachel Antonio’s disappearance. We need to do whatever it takes to find her remains,” Mr Last said.

The former tip manager’s diaries had never been shown to police or anyone else.

Rachel’s parents believe her killer had limited time and a local skip would have been an “easy” place to dispose of her body.

“They need to be pursuing that avenue and if it means that they have to go in to the tip and excavate, so be it,” Mr Last said. “It’s one of the great mysteries in that particular region and it would mean a lot to that community if her remains were found.”

Burdekin MP Dale Last.

Rachel’s parents also received support from murdered Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe’s father Bruce, who said there was “certainly merit” in a tip search.

“With the former tip manager there, you’re not without hope. As slim as it may be, it’s worth a crack,” Mr Morcombe said. “Who knows, it may be the clue everyone’s waiting for.”

He had previously met the Antonios and said his message for them was, “Keep plugging away, don’t give up”.

“They’re still doing it tough almost 20 years later. We certainly think of them often and we wish them well. We certainly would encourage that all examinations take place. The purpose of that is to rule places out as much as to physically find something.

“If this brings a result, clearly that is helpful to the family and helpful to the investigators.

“But if it doesn’t draw any conclusions and there’s no finds there, it at least eliminates the possibility that is the final resting place of Rachel.”

Follow the bold links to listen to Searching for Rachel Antonio:

iPhone or iPad users search for “rachel antonio podcast” on iTunes — by clicking subscribe, each weekly episode will appear on your podcast app.

Android users can listen by following The Courier-Mail on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/couriermail.