Anthony ‘Tony’ Jones murder-mystery: Family shocked by reward announcement

The family of suspected Outback murder victim Tony Jones have lashed out at Townsville Police for their handling of the case.

A $500,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the alleged murder of Anthony “Tony” Jones in Hughenden, west of Townsville, in November 1982. Picture: Supplied

The family of suspected Outback murder victim Tony Jones have lashed out at Townsville police for their handling of the case.

Mark Jones, the brother of Tony who is believed to have met a grisly fate in Hughenden 41 years ago welcomed the increase of the Queensland Government Reward to $500,000, saying the family hoped “something good comes of it”.

“But we (the family) are utterly devastated to hear other details provided by (Townsville Police CIB) … who have not contacted the family for three years.”

Mr Jones alleged that previous Townsville police investigators had made a number of errors throughout the current coronial inquest, which was opened in 2010.

Asked to clarify, Mr Jones, speaking by telephone from Perth, said errors included an insistence that Tony was murdered on or about November 12 and that he was sporting a beard at the time of his disappearance.

He said other errors included preparing a forensic report for a proposed search for Jones’ body in the wrong location and showing a potential key witness a picture of the wrong rifle Tony was believed to be carrying when he was killed.

“Only in the last few days have (police) have asked me to send them a photo of the rifle I believe Tony had at the time so in all that time that lead has gone begging.”

He said the errors “could have been avoided by a simple phone call to the family who have kept meticulous records since Tony vanished 41 years ago”.

In a statement, a police spokesman said because the matter was before the Coroner, investigators provided the relevant information to their office, who would liaise with the family and relay information where appropriate.

“As the matter remains an active investigation it would be inappropriate to provide further comment on specific investigative strategies and operational matters,” the spokesman said.

A $500,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the an arrest and conviction in the alleged murder of Anthony “Tony” Jones in Hughenden, west of Townsville, in November 1982. Picture: Supplied

“Last year the family set in motion a strategy to penetrate a shroud of secrecy in the town of Hughenden where we believe Tony was killed after leaving Townsville late on November 3, 1982 — and we got the result we were after,” he said.

He said the “vital information was forwarded to the coroner”.

Family believe Tony Jones had shaved off his beard before his alleged murder and disappearance. Picture: Supplied

“We believed that … arrests would soon follow.”

Mr Jones said the family had been kept in the dark by both the Coroner’s office and Queensland Police.

He said information released by Townsville Police on Thursday “show that the investigations are far from on track”.

Contrary to the position expressed by police, the family believe that Tony was not killed on November 12, but was more likely dead nine days early which was the last occasion any proof of life could be demonstrated.

Anthony John Jones. Tony is believed to have been the victim of a homicide in an unsolved murder-mystery in the Outback south-west of Townsville 40-years ago. Picture: Supplied

Mr Jones said that one of the alleged sightings on November 12 described a person with an “Abraham Lincoln-style beard”.

“The detective at the time quite rightly found this sighting to lack credibility as several witnesses have confirmed that Tony had recently completly shaved off his beard,” he said.

Mr Jones said that another witness who had supposedly sighted Tony had provided additional information that was not corroborated by other family members.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the increased reward money, Detective Sergeant Brenden Stevenson said police had undertaken an “extensive police investigation”.

He said numerous witnesses had placed Tony in Hughenden on or about November 12.

“Of recent times, in November 2022, fresh evidence has come to police focusing again on the small town of Hughenden and we are focusing now in relation to an altercation at the Grand Hotel on the evening of the 12th of November, 1982.”

Originally published as Anthony ‘Tony’ Jones murder-mystery: Family shocked by reward announcement