Widow of murdered gold prospector Bruce Schuler opposed to new inquest bid
The widow of murdered gold prospector Bruce Schuler says she has never given up on “bringing home” her husband, and has slammed a petition for a new inquest launched by the family of his convicted killers.
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The widow of murdered gold prospector Bruce Schuler has criticised a petition for an inquest into her late husband’s disappearance, saying insensitive social media comments and theories are taking an “immense” emotional and mental toll on her family.
The late Mr Schuler’s wife of 28 years, Fiona Splitt, said she learned a month ago that the family of her husband’s convicted killers had launched a petition to the Queensland Parliament for an inquest into her husband’s disappearance from Palmerville Station in Cape York on July 9, 2012.
The petition has been signed by more than 1370 people and was initiated by Sharon Ferguson, the younger sister of Dianne Wilson-Struber, who was convicted in 2015 by a Cairns Supreme Court jury of Mr Schuler’s murder, along with husband Stephen Struber.
Ms Ferguson said she believes her sister is innocent and hopes an inquest would provide answers for both families.
Bruce Schuler was prospecting with three other men around Palmerville Station, which had been in Dianne’s family for many years, when he disappeared.
His fellow prospectors reported hearing two shots, and seeing a ute like the Strubers’ nearby. Mr Schuler’s body has never been found despite extensive searches of the 133,000ha cattle station.
Ms Splitt said there were two people who know where her husband’s body was, and she does not believe an inquest will make them talk or help to “bring Bruce home”.
“This petition is not about Bruce,” Ms Splitt said,
“It’s about getting (the convicted murderers) out.
“I was hoping an inquest would be held many years ago because it was a chance to get them (Struber and Wilson-Struber) on the stand but that didn’t happen.
“Them wanting it now has been upsetting because it is being done for the wrong reasons, and I don’t understand how the government allowed the petition in Bruce’s name without speaking to us first.
“The insensitive comments and things that people say on social media and calls for an inquest take an immense mental and emotional toll … and it is hurting my family and Bruce’s family.”
Ms Splitt, her son and daughter and four grandchildren continue to live in the Far North.
Mr Schuler’s widow was the driving force behind the “no body, no parole” amendments to Queensland legislation, passed retrospectively in 2018.
“I’ve seen some families get some closure, which is good, and I hoped it would work for us, but it hasn’t,” Ms Splitt said.
“Our family continues to grieve the loss of Bruce, and every day we live with the anguish of not knowing where he is.”
Ms Splitt said Dianne Wilson-Struber and Stephen Struber were convicted of murder by a Supreme Court jury and their convictions were upheld by the Court of Appeal and, for Stephen Struber, also the High Court.
“We have trusted the legal process throughout this entire ordeal, and we trust that the authorities will continue their investigation based on the facts, evidence, and proper legal procedure,” Mrs Splitt said.
“We are confident that the truth will prevail if we continue to focus on the facts and not get sidetracked by distractions.”
She said the family was not interested in assigning blame and understood everyone had a right to seek justice, but their deepest wish was to find Bruce.
“This isn’t a murder mystery – the only mystery is the unknown location of Bruce,” she said.
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Originally published as Widow of murdered gold prospector Bruce Schuler opposed to new inquest bid
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