Bribie Island death: Police seek information on white ute

Police investigating the suspicious death of a Bribie Island woman have asked for the public’s help in tracking a white ute seen near her home.

Police at a home at Bongaree where 51-year-old Janet Guthrie was found dead. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

• ‘No child deserves this’: Bribie mum remembered

Police investigating the suspicious death of Bribie Island mother Janet Guthrie have asked for the public’s help in tracking a white ute seen in the vicinity of her home.

Ms Guthrie, 51, was found dead in her Bongaree home on February 16 – a day after her Melia St neighbours heard a disturbance.

Police said neighbours did not call police until the following day and Ms Guthrie’s body was found when officers arrived to conduct a welfare check.

Bribie Island woman Janet Guthrie. Photo Supplied

Detectives have now obtained footage of a 2000 model white Isuzu utility that was seen crossing the bridge to Bribie Island on Wednesday, February 15, at 5pm.

“I’m appealing to the public today to provide information in terms of dashcam footage and any CCTV footage they may have of a particular vehicle that was seen on Bribie Island between the hours of 5pm and 10pm that night,” Detective Inspector Ben Fadian said.

Police have issued images of a truck as they investigate the suspicious death of a woman on Bribie Island.

“The vehicle we are interested in is a white 2000 Isuzu utility with Queensland registration 170ZBA. The vehicle was seen at 5pm on the Bribie Island bridge, heading towards Bribie Island itself from the mainland.

“That vehicle was seen between 5pm and 5.10pm at Bongaree and then from 5.12pm to 9.49pm parked at the Aldi supermarket at Goodwin Dr at Bongaree.

“At around 9.53pm, that vehicle has left that location and headed towards the mainland from Bribie Island.”

Det Insp Fadian said the vehicle was spotted at Beechmere between 10pm and 11pm and then at Margate at 12.26am February 16.

“We are particularly interested in CCTV footage and dashcam footage people might have of this vehicle as we believe it may progress our investigation,” he said.

Neighbours reported seeing police at the house a week earlier, describing how officers had “bailed up” a large man out the front.

Det Insp said police had spoken to the owner of the utility, a 47-year-old man, but would not say whether he was the same man police had already spoken to in relation to Ms Guthrie’s death.

Moreton District Crime Group Detective Inspector Ben Fadian. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

He also would not comment on whether the man was connected to an incident at the home a week earlier.

“We are aware of who owns that vehicle, we have spoken to that person and they have provided information to us,” he said.

“At this stage, we are still conducting investigations into the incident from the week before on the 9th of February and also the owner of that vehicle.”

He said the ute was currently in the possession of the police.

“At this stage, we have a partial picture of where that vehicle was and we’re trying to fill in those gaps,” he said.

Det Insp Fadian would not say whether the attack on Ms Guthrie was targeted.

He reiterated that police had been faced with a “confronting crime scene” at the Bongaree home.

Ms Guthrie lived alone at the Melia St home.