Police close in on killer as family pleads for son’s friends to help

David Fletcher vanished without trace in 2004, but his body was not found until more than four years later in a disused Yorke Peninsula mine. Major Crime detectives are closing in on his killer.

Phil Fletcher can still remember the day he was told his older brother David had been murdered.

His first thoughts were that his initial suspicion surrounding David’s sudden disappearance were correct. They then turned to who may have been responsible.

He knew David, 39, had been associating with several people involved in the drug scene for some time. It did not take him long to figure out who may have been responsible for taking his brother’s life.

Like the Major Crime detectives investigating David Fletcher’s callous murder, Phil suspects David was killed by an associate — most likely in a dispute over drugs.

“I think there are too many coincidences for him not to be involved somehow and I think the police are on the same wavelength,’’ Phil said.

“I have not given up on this, but as time goes on you just don’t think about it as much.’’

David Fletcher was last seen alive by his parents Jean and Alan at their Warburton St, Magill home, on November 6 2004. He told them he was going for a ride on his motorcycle and left. As the noise from his Kawasaki faded in the distance, so too did any trace of David.

David Fletchers missing Kawasaki motorbike. Picture: Supplied

He left his parents’ home, where he had been staying for the past 18 months after beating an amphetamine addiction, with nothing but the clothes he had been wearing.

David’s mother Jean today said she was not initially worried about David but when a female friend of his contacted her after he had been gone for several weeks she began to worry.

“She rang me from prison about three weeks later, telling me she had not spoken to David for weeks and she was very worried. She feared someone may have done him in,’’ Ms Fletcher said.

“It was only then that I started to think David may have come to some harm, because it wasn’t unusual for David to just vanish for weeks at a time and stay with friends.’’

For more than four years David’s whereabouts were a mystery until April 12, 2009, when his remains were found wrapped in a distinctive rug at the old Poona copper mine, just north of Moonta on Yorke Peninsula.

Major Crime detectives believe it is likely Mr Fletcher was killed shortly after he was last seen — most likely at a property in Moonta.

It is likely his body was taken to the mine where several people manhandled the bound rug over a fence before throwing it from the edge of the mine into water some 30 metres below.

It remained undetected until the water level receded and a fossicker noticed it in the shallows.

Major Crime case officer Detective Brevet Sergeant Cameron Georg said David was initially treated as a missing person because there was no evidence of foul play and his almost nomadic lifestyle. Investigations were conducted to locate him and the case was declared a major crime when his remains were found.

The Poona mine at Moonta where David Fletchers body was dumped. Picture: Supplied

Prior to moving in with his parents, David had been homeless on several occasions. For a period he had been living in a boat he was renovating that was parked in a friend’s driveway.

“And, given his history of being absent for periods of time, it wasn’t considered unusual but investigations were undertaken in an attempt to locate him,’’ Georg said.

David was known to police for minor offending, as was the circle of people with whom he mixed. They were involved in drug use, primarily cannabis and amphetamines.

“That circle was also involved in the distribution of drugs at a low level. We are not talking high-end dealing,’’ Det Bvt Sgt Georg said.

The person who found David’s body is not on the police radar. A budding geologist, he was poking around the mine when he noticed the rolled-up rug in shallow water. Closer inspection revealed a foot wearing a shoe and he called police.

Once the rug was unrolled, police found David’s upper torso was covered with a distinctive black “Northridge Rovers’’ jacket. It came from a defunct scout group that was based at Para Vista between 1994 and 2000. He was fully clothed. A post-mortem has revealed the cause of death but detectives do not want this information revealed.

In the weeks after the discovery, detectives ascertained who David’s associates were and uncovered strong links with one. The man also has strong links to the Moonta area via a family property.

Replicas of a bomber style jacket in relation to the murder of David Fletcher whose body was found in flooded copper mine near Moonta.

Replicas of a bomber style jacket in relation to the murder of David Fletcher whose body was found in flooded copper mine near Moonta.

“The location where the body was dumped would tend to suggest it was someone who was familiar with the area,’’ Det Bvt Sgt Georg said.

“The mine itself is not really visible from the road. If you were unfamiliar with the area and did not notice the sign you would not know the mine was there.

“Given that he was wrapped in a rug and dumped there, it would suggest the murder occurred elsewhere. It might indicate it was in that area, given it would be unusual if he was murdered in Adelaide to drive all that way.’’

Detectives firmly believe the location was chosen because of close links to the area the key person of interest has.

“We are unable to say why David may have been in the Moonta area, but it may have been through some of his associates that led him to be in that location,’’ Det Bvt Sgt Georg said. “They may have resided in that area from time to time.’’

Detectives have focused on a small number of associates, with one firm person of interest currently at the centre of investigations.

“We are keeping an open mind, but there is a person of interest we have been looking at and he remains so today,’’ Det Bvt Sgt Georg said. “That person co-operated with us in an interview. Notwithstanding he has participated in an interview, at this stage he still remains a person of interest.’’

Replica of a floor rug found wrapped around David Fletcher’s body.

David Alan Fletcher.

Phil Fletcher said he had spoken with this person on several occasions following David’s disappearance.

“He said: ‘You will never find him, the bikies have probably got him’. “He was always trying to convince me he is not coming back.’’

Detectives say it is highly likely the distinctive red rug David was wrapped in came from the premises where he was killed. While the distributor was located, too many had been sold in SA to trace purchasers individually.

Detectives have no definite motive, but it is likely to be linked to David’s lifestyle.

“It may have had something to do with his involvement in drugs, but there is no clear evidence to say what happened and why,’’ Det Bvt Sgt Georg said.

“From time to time you can have a falling out with your associates over things such as drugs and money owed. David did have a reputation for having issues over his purchasing of drugs, but that may not be linked to his death.’’

Detectives believe it is likely “a number of people’’ have knowledge of David’s death and they have not come forward. “We would urge those people to reconsider their position,’’ Det Bvt Sgt Georg said. Detectives are yet to recover David’s distinctive Kawasaki GPZ1000RX motorbike. It may have been sold or dumped. His helmet and gloves are also missing.

Phil Fletcher said his brother had many friends “who knew and loved him’’ and he was amazed that none had the courage to come forward and tell police what had happened. “How can they live with themselves all of this time knowing they have the answer for our family and closure,’’ he said.

“If it happened to one of their family members I am sure they would like closure and for these people to face justice.’’ A reward of up to $200,000 is available information leading to a conviction in the case.

Originally published as Police close in on killer as family pleads for son’s friends to help