Bluewater homicide: Victim’s boyfriend in custody after car allegedly caught on dashcam

The name of a woman who was killed in Bluewater bushland has been revealed as police continue to question her boyfriend.

The new boyfriend of Townsville mum Tania Trickey, who was killed in Bluewater bushland, has been taken into custody after the car he was found driving was spotted in the area on Saturday.

The body of the 44-year-old mother of four was found by teenagers in bushland near Jaloonda Rd in Bluewater at about 4.40pm on Saturday.

Inspector Jason Shepherd said an ongoing homicide investigation has revealed Ms Trickey had recently formed a new relationship with a 38-year-old Deeragun man who was identified as a person of interest.

He was located by cops and taken into custody after exiting his vehicle — a small red hatchback — at a service station on Proserpine at about 8.30pm on Sunday.

Inspector Shepherd said the red vehicle was captured on dashcam driving to Bluewater on Saturday morning.

He said an autopsy of Ms Trickey’s body will be carried out on Tuesday, and at this stage, police believe she was killed on Saturday.

Police the 38-year-old man she was in a new relationship with was known to police and was now assisting detectives with their inquiries while he was being held in custody in Mackay.

Police will allege he was involved in an unrelated road rage incident on Sunday, about 40km south of Proserpine, where a motorist allegedly had a shot fired at them on the Bruce Hwy near Yarlboroo at about 11.30am.

Acting Inspector Jason Shepherd has revealed more details about a Bluewater homicide investigation. Picture: Leighton Smith

Inspector Shepherd said the 38-year-old man had allegedly been driving behind a Gold Coast tourist in an overtaking lane before he pulled out a shotgun and fired a single shot at the car.

He said the tourist was left “shaken up but uninjured” with the alleged shot hitting the rear driver’s side door.

He said the alleged gun had not yet been sighted by police because they were waiting for forensic teams from Townsville to arrive in Mackay to examine his red car on Monday afternoon.

Queensland police are investigating the death of a woman in Bluewater after a body was found in bushland near Jaloonda Road in Bluewater. Picture Daniel Shirkie

Inspector Shepherd said the red car was allegedly seen driving erratically up and down the Bruce Hwy on Sunday.

“We had a number of sightings on him on the highway following that incident, and it was far south as Mackay and also up near Bowen, so he seemed to be going backwards and forwards.

We don’t know why he was doing that at this stage,” he said.

Police said there is no ongoing threat to either the Bluewater or Yarlboroo communities.

A crime scene was established at Bluewater, where the woman’s body was found on Saturday.

Following a forensic assessment on the weekend, police established that a weapon was involved in the killing, and they are investigating the matter as a homicide.

If you have information, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au. Quote this reference number: QP2201385252.

Originally published as Bluewater homicide: Victim’s boyfriend in custody after car allegedly caught on dashcam