John Bowie was arrested in Queensland yesterday, and will be extradited to New South Wales today.

Vietnam vet John Bowie denies he killed his wife Roxlyn Bowie, missing since 1982

Police search dam for Walgett mum Roxlyn Bowie who went missing 36 years ago

Ms Bowie, 31, vanished from her Walgett home in NSW in 1982. Her body has never been found.

An inquest held in 2014 found she was dead, but could not determine when or how she died.

The Courier-Mail interviewed Mr Bowie, who moved to Queensland, on multiple occasions and he always maintained his innocence.

“No I’m not, I’m not worried about it, I’ve left everything in the Lord’s hands,” he said when previously asked if he was concerned he could be charged over his wife’s disappearance.

“I’ve got nothing to hide.”

NSW police issued a statement on the breakthrough last night: “Following extensive inquiries, detectives from the Queensland Police Service’s Homicide Cold Case Investigation Team, in the presence of Strike Force Maluka investigators, arrested a 69-year-old man at a correctional facility in Woodford, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, just after 9am.

“He was taken to Brisbane Magistrates Court on a NSW arrest warrant, where NSW police detectives applied for and were granted his extradition to NSW.

“The man is being escorted to Sydney via a flight tomorrow.”

Robbery and Serious Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty praised the work of investigators.

“We’ve had a dedicated team of detectives working on this investigation to uncover what happened to Roxlyn Bowie nearly four decades ago,” Supt Doherty said.

“The resolve of our investigators proves that we will continue to search for the truth – no matter how many years may pass.”