Man’s body found in Maroochy River, near Bradman Ave, Maroochydore
Footage has been released of the mystery man whose body was found in a Sunshine Coast river as police hope to finally identify him. WATCH THE VIDEO.
Police & Courts
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Police have released CCTV of the mystery man whose body was was found in a Sunshine Coast river as the investigation into his identity continues - with police ruling his death non suspicious.
Nearly two weeks since police pulled a man’s body from Maroochy River mystery still surrounds his identity as detectives continue the appeal for public help.
On Tuesday, December 12, police released CCTV of the man shopping at a store nearby in Maroochydore about 4pm, Monday, November 27.
Last week, police released a computer generated image of the man in an effort to help with identification.
Police were called to the Maroochy River after the man’s body was found by a member of the public about 8.15am on November 30, near Bradman Ave and the Sunshine Mwy overpass bridge called the Talep Bridge in Maroochydore.
Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Mansfield said officers were still appealing to the public to come forward with any information.
He said the CCTV was of reasonably good quality and was from a local Sunshine Coast business.
“It shows him walking down an escalator and in to purchase some goods...then leaving the store,” Sergeant Mansfield said.
“It’s pretty good quality so we’re hoping if someone knows him they’ll be able to easily identify who he is.”
It has been confirmed the man paid with cash, however police would not confirm what goods were purchased.
But did say those purchased goods were on him when his body was located in the river.
Sergeant Mansfield said police believed he had been dead for a few days at that point and that it was likely he ended up in the river the day of the CCTV, Friday, Monday 27.
In the footage the man was wearing the clothing he was found in - dark colour t-shirt and shorts with no logos or emblems. He also had compression bandages on both knees.
Since viewing the footage police have confirmed he was smaller in build and slightly younger than they had initially believed.
His death has officially been ruled as non-suspicious following finding the CCTV footage.
“It (the footage) shows that he was alone,” Sergeant Mansfield said.
“We’re able to rule out any other parties involvement in the matter.
“We’re pretty confident now that someone is going to be able to recognise him from this footage.”
No car has been located as being owned or driven by the mystery man.
Police haven’t ruled out him possibly being from interstate or overseas, but don’t believe he was homeless.
“We just need to identify this man to alert his family ... before we say anything else,” Sergeant Mansfield said.
Police divers last week started searching the Maroochy River for any evidence that would lead to identifying the mystery man.
Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mick Doogue said a post mortem was conducted and there were no injuries identified and no natural causes identified that contributed to the cause of death.
The body may have entered the water from “as far east” as Petrie Creek or “as far west” as Chambers Island, he said.
The divers searched the area under the Sunshine Mwy bridge.
Police cannot rule out at this stage that he died before entering the water.
“He had no tattoos or identifying descriptive marks on his body however he did have evidence of a surgical operation on his right knee,” Sergeant Doogue said.
Police are calling on the public to come forward with any relevant information, especially those who were often at the river or lived near the river and had seen any abandoned personal property or an abandoned vehicle in the area.
Earlier Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Mansfield said that detectives were checking caravan parks, car parks and camping grounds in the area near where the man’s body was found.
He said they were also door-knocking nearby businesses and anyone with information should come forward.
It was understood the body was discovered near the Sunshine Mwy bridge and had drifted to the Bradman Ave boat ramp before police retrieved it from the water.
It is understood a local woman, sitting on the shoreline, discovered the body and Sunshine Coast water police picked him up.
She told the Sunshine Coast Daily it was just before 8.20am Thursday when she spotted the body – while waiting for her hairdresser appointment.
“I was looking at it floating and was like that looks like a person,” she said.
“I panicked as I continued to watch as I didn’t know what to do.
“I was pretty emotional … and I was just thinking the person has family.”
It’s the latest in a string of tragic events in the region in recent days.
On Sunday a 24-year-old French tourist was killed in a 4WD rollover on Teewah Beach, while the search for missing fisherman Matthew Balange, who went missing off Moreton Island, has been called off.
His boat was found but there has been no sign of the 43-year-old originally hailing from Kiama, NSW.
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