Gold Coast cops address serial killer conspiracy theories over spate of recent, public deaths
Four sudden deaths in five days on the Gold Coast earlier this month sent the internet into overdrive – now, local police are getting on the front foot. Here’s what we know so far about the cases.
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Gold Coast police have hosed down wild conspiracy theories abounding on the internet in the wake of a spate of sudden – and very public – deaths in the region in recent days.
Over a five day period between July 19–23, four bodies were discovered variously at Tallebudgera Creek, Palm Beach, Varsity Lakes, and Currumbin.
All four deaths have been treated as non-suspicious, with the cause of death being ruled variously as medical episode, self-harm, and misadventure.
However, despite the lack of suspicious circumstances, the internet has been inundated with amateur sleuths connecting dots that, according to police, don’t exist.
Acting Superintendent Michelle Piket, speaking at Mudgeeraba Police Station on Monday morning, addressed the rumours head-on.
“Now, we have had a whole lot of deaths in the last two weeks,” she said.
“There are a lot of conspiracy theories floating around on social media.
“So, I’d just like to tell everyone, please don’t believe what you see on social media.
“All of these matters were unrelated and non-suspicious and have been referred to the coroner.
“We know that they’re non-suspicious, we’ve done our investigations, and we’re happy with what’s happened [with those investigations].”
Initially, after the second death, punters likened the situation to the fictitious Bay Harbor Butcher, a serial killer in the popular TV series Dexter, but after the fourth death, the rumour mill went into overdrive, with video platform Tiktok a particularly virulent hub for conspiracy theories.
Gold Coast personal trainer Aaron Boundy was one of the many claiming there was more to see here.
“Why is nobody talking about how there is a f---ing murderer on the loose in the Gold Coast right now,” he said in a video viewed more than 180,000 times at the time of publication.
“There’s been four dead bodies found within a 10km radius of each other, which happens to be in the area I live.
“Is this not f---ed? Why isn’t this being documented more?”
Queensland Police replied to his Tiktok via its official account, commenting: “Hey QLD. We want to reassure the public that there is no risk to community safety. All matters are being treated as non-suspicious and unrelated.”
The spate of deaths even garnered international media attention, with the NZ Herald and the United Kingdom’s International Business Times among the outlets giving the deaths coverage.
Only one of the deceased has been publicly identified thus far: local grandmother Elizabeth Kelly (Kirby), 73, was discovered on the beach outside the Palm Beach SLC on the morning of Sunday, July 20.
The grim streak commenced on July 19, when the body of a man in his sixties was discovered on the rocks at Tallebudgera Creek’s Echo Beach.
The same day as Ms Kelly’s body was discovered, a deceased man believed to be aged in his twenties was discovered in the vicinity of a swimming pool at Main St, Varsity Lakes.
Finally, one the afternoon of July 23, the body of a woman aged between 20–40 was found floating in Currumbin Creek near Whitsunday Dr.
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Originally published as Gold Coast cops address serial killer conspiracy theories over spate of recent, public deaths
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