Tayla Spies’ sister Rebecca confirms worst fears that missing woman was found dead at Noorindoo
The heartbroken sister of missing Queensland woman Tayla Spies has confirmed her family’s “devastating loss” after human remains were discovered on a remote property.
QLD News
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The family of Queensland woman Tayla Spies have taken to social media to confirm their “devastating loss” after a major breakthrough in the two-month-long search for her.
Police on Friday located human remains about 1km from where Ms Spies’ vehicle was found on the property at Noorindoo.
Ms Spies’ utility and her belongings, including the pink shirt she was wearing when she was last seen eight weeks ago, were found on a property not connected to her on Thursday.
The 28-year-old woman was last seen on Sunday, February 2, between the hours of 10am and 1pm travelling along the Carnarvon Highway south of Roma in a white 2017 Toyota HiLux.
Detective Chief Inspector Garry Watts on Friday said human remains had been located about 1km from the vehicle.
Ms Spies’ sister Rebecca Spies confirmed the “devastating loss” on Sunday.
“It is with very heavy hearts that we announce the devastating loss of our beautiful, Tayla,” she wrote.
“Although she may no longer be here with us, she will always be in our hearts and I will carry her with me wherever I go.
“We would like to thank each and every one of you for all of the support and love we have received over the past 63 days and for the ongoing support we will continue to receive going forward.
“We truly will be forever grateful to our family and friends for surrounding us, supporting us, picking us up when we fell down and for never letting us walk one step of this alone.
“Tayla was and always will be so incredibly loved, more than she would ever know.
“Please bear with us as we grieve and navigate through this excruciating loss as a family. Again, from the bottom of our heart, thank you all.
“Fly high and rest easy now our beautiful girl.”
Police on Monday confirmed the human remains were those of Tayla.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the course of the investigations.
Ms Spies’ vehicle is undergoing a full forensic examination.
Insp Watts said the landowner called police on Thursday saying he had come across Ms Spies’ vehicle.
He said police had not been able to establish any connection between Ms Spies and the property or owner.
He said the landowner believed the ute was not always there and had appeared in the past two weeks. The property backs on to the Yuleba State Forest.
Insp Watts said the car was locked. He said police had not conducted any land searches looking for Ms Spies prior to the car being located.
He said there had been aerial searches looking for Ms Spies in the region and police on Friday were conducting a review to see if they had previously conducted aerial searches over the property.
“Where the vehicle was located was about 2km into the property from the Yuleba-Surat Road, so you would not have seen this vehicle from the roadway,” Insp Watts said.
Insp Watts said the car was “well within the property boundaries”.
“I don’t know whether it was there since Tayla went missing on February 2,” he said.
“As I said the land owner doesn’t believe it has been there longer than 12 days but we are making inquiries in relation to that.”
Insp Watts confirmed Ms Spies’ partner was believed to have been the last person to have seen her.
“We are unsure of what happened to Tayla at this stage, we are making our inquiries and we are not forming any opinion in relation to that until we can finish our inquiries,” he said.
In late February Ms Spies’ family issued a desperate plea for information.
In the video, released by the Queensland Police Service, Rebecca Spies said her sister’s disappearance had consumed the whole family.
“We have no knowledge if anybody has spoken to her since then, has seen her and we have no knowledge if she is okay,” she said.
“The pain and enormity of her absence increases with each day that passes, and the worry is consuming us all.
“My sister Tayla is funny, brave, thoughtful, and is always there for people when they need her.”
Police continue to appeal for any information in relation to Tayla Spies or the movement of her vehicle, a white 2017 dual cab Toyota HiLux bearing Qld registration 559 GJ7 to contact police.