Murdered woman’s body hidden at unit complex for at least seven years

An unidentified woman who was murdered and partially buried under a Brisbane unit complex had been there for more than seven years, police believe. But she could have been dead even longer than that.

Police believe an unidentified woman who was murdered and partially buried under a Brisbane unit complex had been there for more than seven years and was likely never reported missing.

Detectives have appealed for help in identifying the woman, releasing a basic description from information gathered during a two-day autopsy conducted by a forensic anthropologist.

The woman’s body was found by maintenance workers on December 7 in a void behind a besser block wall at the back of an Alderley unit complex.

She was dressed in a t-shirt, wrapped up and partially buried. The woman had suffered “trauma” to her body.

Police now believe the woman to be Caucasian, aged between 30 and 55, approximately 155cm-165cm tall with dark brown hair. She wore glasses and was a size 10 in women’s clothing.

Human remains at an Alderley unit complex were found by cleaners on Wednesday morning during a routine visit. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“The body has in fact been here for quite a long time,” Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said.

“We can place the body with a high degree of confidence here in the position it was found back in November 2015.

“(But) the time of death for this person could extend out to 2009.

“I am appealing to people today to cast their mind back to between 2009 and 2015. Where were they? Who were their friend groups?

“Did they notice anyone go missing during that period of time and just seem to vanish off the face of the earth?”

Det Supt Massingham said police had checked all known missing persons cases around Australia and would move to investigating international cases should the public appeal be unsuccessful.

He said police had tracked down nearly everyone who had lived at the Alderley Ave unit complex since it was built in 2006.

“The building contains 16 one-bedroom units and we are most of the way through interviewing all past residents,” he said.

Human remains at an Alderley unit complex were found by cleaners. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“We have some 50 remaining to do and so far this lady as yet is not identified.

“So I appeal to people ... that if they have any information relating to a female that fits this description that may have been a colleague, a friend, an associate, that simply disappeared, for you to contact Crime Stoppers.

“It’s important that we give this lady a voice, that we identify her ... and hopefully find out the true circumstances of this tragic death.”

Det Supt Massingham said there could be many explanations as to why the woman had not been reported missing and that investigators were considering all possibilities.

“Obviously it might relate to this person being quite transient, not necessarily having a large family, work group or the like, or the fact that someone close to her, known to her within a small family unit is responsible for her disappearance,” he said.

He said police did not believe the woman had been a resident of the unit complex.

“We have ruled out any occupant of this residence as being the person that we have here,” Det Supt Massingham said.

Anyone with information that could assist police should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.