Confirmed: Body behind besser-block wall a woman

Forensic investigators have confirmed human remains found under a Brisbane unit complex are female.

Forensic investigators have confirmed human remains found under a unit complex in Alderley on Brisbane’s northside are female.

The revelation will allow them to narrow their search of 2000 missing people.

Cleaners made the grisly discovery during a routine visit to the complex about 10.45am on Wednesday.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said the body was found in a “void-type area”, behind a besser block wall in a locked area.

Detectives from Hendra Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) and the Homicide Unit have established Operation Uniform Pepperina to investigate the circumstances around the woman’s death.

Forensic samples taken from the scene have been sent for urgent testing, including fingerprint analysis from a number of items located.

A tightly-wrapped body that was partially buried and covered in clothing and bedding was found under a unit complex in Alderley in Brisbane on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

QPS also confirmed that a post-mortem is continuing on Friday, with the crime scene examination expected to be finalised by the afternoon.

“Detectives are continuing the review of various missing persons reports,” police said in a statement.

“There is no further information available at this stage, with extensive scientific analyses expected to be protracted in nature.”

Allan Batzloff, who has lived in the Alderley complex for about five years, said he heard an argument between another resident and visitor, four to six months ago.

“It was a heat of the moment argument but I heard the words ‘I’m going to get even with you’” he said.

Mr Batzloff said news of the death has “rocked” other residents in the complex.

“I’m just surprised cleaning crews and managers hadn’t noticed anything until yesterday (Wednesday) … but it is normal for people to come and go from the property – there is no security in the carpark,” he said.

Mr Batzloff said another person had died of natural causes at the complex earlier in the year.

A local volunteer said she knew of a young woman who lived at the complex and had been “scared for her life”.

“She was very distressed because she thought something had happened there – she was scared to be in the complex and scared for her life,” she said.

A body was found in a unit complex in Alderley on Wednesday. Picture: John Gass

Supt Massingham said the area was unlocked by the cleaners on Wednesday and was usually locked for management.

“We are obviously open to the suggestion however that squatters may have accessed the area through that gate or a rear gate,” Supt Massingham said.

He said there had been access to that area on “more than one occasion”.

“Whoever or whatever persons have put the person there have attempted to conceal the body fairly unsuccessfully in terms of using dirt and the like to cover it,” Supt Massingham said.

“But certainly the way in which it was wrapped – with many multiple layers of wrapping – and then the placement of bedding and clothing over the top made it difficult to see initially.

“My preliminary analysis of what I’ve seen there … is that the person or persons have taken great care to wrap the body up in a certain way to preserve it.

“They’ve also transported it to an area that is not readily accessible and whether it was their intention to leave it there or come and get it at some later time and they simply haven’t is part of what we will be looking at.”

Originally published as Confirmed: Body behind besser-block wall a woman