Kallangur man charged with murder after woman’s body found in bushland at Nambour
Police have confirmed that a man charged with murder following the discovery of a woman’s body on the Sunshine Coast had been in a relationship with her.
Police & Courts
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A man has been charged with murder after the body of an 18-year-old woman was found in bushland on the Sunshine Coast overnight.
Police allege the 19-year-old Kallangur man and the 18-year-old Petrie woman had driven north to Nambour on Saturday evening after they met at a carpark on Bells Pocket Rd at Strathpine about 4.30pm.
Detective Inspector Ben Fadian said the pair had been in an “intimate relationship” that had recently ended.
“About 7pm the family of the young woman alerted to police that she had not returned home,” he said.
“Her vehicle was subsequently located in the car park on Bells Pocket Rd.”
Insp Fadian said the length of the duo’s relationship was still under investigation.
“I can say that there was no domestic violence orders in place and there was no history of either party being in contact with police about anything of that nature,” he said.
“At this stage we have no evidence that there is any other parties involved in this.”
Insp Fadian said police were still talking to the woman’s family and friends about any history of domestic violence.
He said the man was found alone in Currie St at a service station about 8pm and he was taken into custody about 8.30pm.
The service station is about 1km from where the woman’s body was found at about 3am.
Investigators were still investigating where she was killed, Insp Fadian said.
He said the car park, the service station and the bushland in Nambour had been declared crime scenes.
Police have seized both vehicles as well as items at the crime scenes.
Insp Fadian said police were investigating any links the man had to the Nambour area.
He said a post mortem would be conducted soon to determine the cause of death of the woman.
“The family of the young lady have been advised and as you would appreciate they are devastated,” Insp Fadian said.
When asked if the family knew she was meeting the man or if they were concerned she hadn’t returned home, Insp Fadian said: “They are loving parents and they were concerned she had not returned home.”
Insp Fadian appealed for anyone with CCTV to contact police.
“It’s a tragic event, the young lady is 18 years of age, she has her whole life ahead of her,” he said.
“This is a good young lady... and this has happened to her. It’s a tragedy.”
The man has been charged him with one count of murder and another of misconduct with a corpse (moving).
He is expected to appear in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, while detectives are appealing for anyone who witnessed a white 2016 Ford Mustang near the Rob Ackers Sports Reserve at Strathpine between 4pm and 6pm, and on Park Road at Nambour between 6pm and 8.30pm.
Investigators are also seeking information about a blue 2012 Mazda 3 seen near the Rob Ackers Sports Reserve between 4pm and 6pm.
Anyone with dashcam, CCTV, or information that could help detectives is urged to contact police.
A single police vehicle this morning remained at the scene on Park Rd where the woman’s body was found.
Park Rd resident of 20 years Deborah Burgin heard her dogs start to bark about 11pm and one of her dogs kept looking towards the bushland and the creek.
“I sort of came up and thought the cat was walking past and I had a look out my shades but couldn’t actually see anything,” she said.
She said she noticed police in the street about 6am.
“I saw the police car and thought someone had dumped a car at first,” she said.
Mrs Burgin said she still felt safe in her street.
Another Park Rd resident, Stephanie Hill, said she was woken by police lights about 2.30am.
“The police were searching through our bins,” she said.
“A lot more police cars came up with a big truck and a floodlight that lit up the creek.”
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