Donna Steele murder: Police say killer is being sheltered by associates

BREAKING: She was murdered and dumped in crocodile-infested water in Queensland. Now police believe they know who Donna Steele’s killer is.

Police now believe the killer of Cooktown woman Donna Louise Steele was not a local.

POLICE believe they know who killed a Queensland mother and dumped her body in a crocodile-infested lagoon.

The grisly discovery of Donna Louise Steele’s was found about 12km from her home, near the far north Queensland town of Cooktown on August 6.

Detective Inspector Damien Hansen told media this morning the person responsible for murdering the mother-of-two was not from Cooktown and could have come from as far away as Cairns.

The killer — who was known to investigators — was thought to have travelled through Cooktown and knew people there.

Det Insp Hansen said people in Cooktown knew more than they had told police, and in some cases had lied to officers.

Last week police offered a reward of $250,000 for information that could lead to the conviction of the killer.

Donna Louise Steele was murdered in August last year.

It was after that publicity new “credible” information came to light.

“We believe that people in Cooktown have knowledge and are covering for that person,” Det Insp Hansen said.

“What I say to these people is: it’s never too late to come forward and do the right thing. There are two young boys growing up without their mother — help these boys get justice for her.

“Please come forward. Police will take you seriously and you will be supported through the process.”

At the announcement of the award Det Insp Damien Hansen said any possible accomplices, such as someone to helped dispose of clothing or weapons, could be granted immunity from prosecution if they came forward with vital information.

“It provides indemnity from prosecution for a person not involved in the actual offence,” Det Insp Hansen said.

SERT officers with machine guns keep watch for crocodiles as police divers search Isabella Creek at Leggett's Crossing near Cooktown as part of the ongoing investigation into the murder of Donna Steele. Picture: Liam Kidston

“As long as they are not the person who actually murdered Donna they are eligible.”

Ms Steele was a cabin cleaner at Cooktown’s Peninsula Caravan Park and went to work as usual on August 2 and left at about midday.

Police believe Ms Steele returned home after the last sighting of her — at Cooktown’s IGA supermarket at 12.15pm — and left the home “peacefully”.

There was no sign of a struggle at the home, and that there was nothing to suggest her husband, Tony Brown, was involved.

He was working away from Cooktown and returned home on Thursday to find her missing.

Heartbreakingly, her two boys, aged 8 and 10, came home from school on Wednesday and found their mum gone. They ate biscuits for dinner and put themselves to bed, and then got up and took themselves to school the next day.

The boys got themselves to school the next day, but didn’t tell anyone at the school or any teacher they’d been alone.

More to come.

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