Keith Lees arrested 27 years after Sunshine Coast woman Meaghan Lee Rose found dead

A national manhunt over the 1997 murder of a young Sunshine Coast woman has come to an end after her former partner was discovered busted in Sydney living on governtment handouts.

Meaghan Rose was found dead at the base of the Point Cartwright cliffs at Mooloolaba in July 1997.

A national manhunt over the murder of Meaghan Louise Rose has come to an end after her former partner Keith Lees was discovered allegedly living under a fake identity while receiving government payments and subsidised housing.

In a major breakthrough in the investigation, police have arrested Keith Lees, 72, over the death of Ms Rose on the Sunshine Coast more than 27 years ago.

He was arrested by police on Thursday at a property in Dural, a semi-rural suburb 36km northwest of Sydney’s central business district, after a tip-off from the public.

Court documents allege Lees used the name David Japaljarri on a NSW learner’s licence, pensioner concession card, Commonwealth Bank debit card and bank account and his NSW Opal pensioner card, also claiming he was 16 years younger than his real age.

Lees was living at Link Wentworth Housing, subsidised by Parramatta Council, from November 2023 until his arrest, and was also receiving government payments using this false identity, according to documents.

Police have arrested Keith Lees, 72, over the death of Ms Rose on the Sunshine Coast more than 27 years ago. Picture: Queensland Police

Ms Rose, 25, was found dead at the base of the Point Cartwright cliffs in Mooloolaba on July 18, 1997.

Her death had originally been deemed a suicide before a reinvestigation by the Queensland Police Service homicide squad’s cold case team.

The family of Ms Rose on Friday said they were relieved there had been a development in the case.

“I am struggling because I have found it to be overwhelming,” her sister Christine Richards told The Courier-Mail.

“Twenty-seven years of wanting this to happen and it finally has. I couldn’t believe the phone call that I got, I didn’t believe it.

“The moment I was notified of her death, I told the police then that it wasn’t suicide. I had no doubt from the day that I was informed.

“Meaghan had so much to offer and so much to give. It’s just not fair.”

Lees had been in a relationship with Ms Rose, who he met in Victoria, before they moved to the Sunshine Coast.

She was employed as an assistant nurse at Blue Nurses at Marcoola and also the Coolum Nursing Home.

Ms Rose’s body was found at the foot of the Pt Cartright cliffs on the Sunshine Coast in 1997.

It will be alleged an insurance policy was taken out for Ms Rose, which had a 13-month waiting period before it covered suicide.

She died 13 months and three days after the policy was taken out. Cold case officers re-examining her death spoke to Lees in June 2023. He subsequently went missing.

After Lees disappeared following questioning in 2023, police said they believed he may be fruit-picking and launched a national appeal to help find him.

He was seen in Port Fairy in southwestern Victoria on June 26, 2023.

The following day he was seen on CCTV buying new clothes in Geelong as well as at Shepparton Train Station, north of Melbourne.

There were no further confirmed sightings of Lees, however investigations continued as well as national appeals.

Images used in the search for Lees.

Picture: Queensland Police Service

His face was regularly shown at public transport hubs including Queensland train stations.

“As a result of the media coverage, police acted on information from a member of the public, and the man was arrested in New South Wales,” the Queensland Police Service said on Friday.

NSW Police said Lees was apprehended on a Queensland arrest warrant issued in July 2023.

“The man was taken to Hornsby Police Station where he was charged with the warrant, as well as assault police officer in execution of duty without aggravated bodily harm, deal with identity information to commit etc indictable offence, and possess identity information to commit etc indictable offence,” NSW police said in a statement.

“Police will allege in court the man attempted to bite an officer while he was in custody.”

Lees did not appear before Parramatta Local Court on Friday and he will next appear before Hornsby Local Court on Thursday.

Queensland Police are expected to make an application to extradite him on this date.