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

An elderly man has been arrested in NSW more than 25 years after the death of a young woman at Mooloolaba with her family expressing relief at the breakthrough.

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

Police have made a breakthrough in the cold case investigation into the death of Meaghan Louise Rose on the Sunshine Coast more than 25 years ago, arresting her former partner in New South Wales.

Keith Lees, 72, has been arrested over the death of Ms Rose in 1997.

The 25-year-old’s body was found at the base of the Point Cartwright cliffs in Mooloolaba.

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.

Keith Lees has been arrested after a cold case investigation into the death of Meaghan Rose.

“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 together.

Meaghan’s sister Chrtistine Richards expressed relief that an arrest had been made. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Cold case officers re-examining her death spoke to Lees in June 2023. He subsequently went missing.

Lees was arrested in Dural in NSW about 8am on Thursday after a significant manhunt and appeal to find him. NSW Police said he 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.”

He will face Parramatta Local Court on Friday where Queensland detectives will apply for his extradition.

Meaghan Louise Rose died at the base of Point Cartwright Cliffs at Mooloolaba. Picture: Qld Police

Detectives from the state’s homicide cold case investigation team travelled to Sydney to seek the extradition of Lees for the murder of Ms Rose.

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.

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 south-western Victoria on June 26, 2023.

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

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