Zac Barnes: Four years of heartache: No leads in search for missing Maitland teen
Four years ago on Friday Zac Barnes was seen running into bushland in a distressed state. He’s been missing ever since.
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Four years ago Zac Barnes was seen running into bushland in a distressed state. He’s been missing ever since.
It was a typical Friday when Zac’s mum Karen Gudelj dropped him off at his job as an apprentice bricklayer.
The 18-year-old had plans to visit a friend’s house after knock-off, but what happened that weekend isn’t clear.
Two of Zac’s friends said they were driving through Thornton about 8pm on Sunday, November 13, 2016, when he suddenly panicked and jumped out of the car.
He was last seen running into bushland near the intersection of Tripp Cl and Haussman Dr.
It’s a story his mother never believed.
“Nothing makes sense,” Ms Gudelj wrote on Facebook.
“Zac has not used his bank accounts or social media accounts since that day.
“What happened to Zac seems to be a mystery. There have been no firm sightings Australia-wide.”
Family, friends and SES volunteers searched bushland around Thornton in the months after Zac’s disappearance, but didn’t find any clues to his whereabouts.
The case remains open with New South Wales Police detectives.
Only adding to the family’s heartache, Zac’s younger brother Liam died by suicide last month.
He was 19.
“With shattered hearts and complete disbelief we lost Zac’s little brother Liam to suicide this week,” Ms Gudelj wrote at the time.
“There are no words to express the pain of losing two sons so young, within four years.
“We need answers more than ever now so we can lay our boys to rest together.”
There have been no breakthroughs in the case, but Zac’s family hope a coronial inquest could finally bring answers.
They celebrated his 21st birthday last year with a ball to raise funds for legal representation, but an official inquiry could be some time away.
“The matter is currently before the Coroner,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.
“There are no dates or plans for an inquest at this time.”
The now 22-year-old was last seen wearing blue board shorts, a blue singlet top and steel cap work boots.
He has a VB label tattooed on the back of his calf muscle, which could be a key identifying mark.
His family continue to search for information via the Find Zac Barnes Facebook page, and have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a coronial inquest.
If you have information that may help police locate Zac, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
For confidential support, call Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.
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