Police hunt vehicle believed to be linked to alleged murder of Tania Trickey

Police have released images and footage of a vehicle they believe to be linked to the alleged murder of a mother of four.

A mother of four was killed by her partner of several months who discarded her body in the bush before he committed a drive-by shooting, police allege.

Police have released critical images and footage of a red vehicle they believe is linked to the killing of Tania Trickey, 44.

It is alleged Ms Trickey was killed on a sandy track at Bluewater near the North Queensland city of Townsville on Saturday morning.

A group of teenagers discovered her body that afternoon while riding their quad bikes along the isolated track through bushland.

The body of a woman was found in bushland near Townsville. Picture: Leighton Smith

Officers have since released images of a red 1997 Toyota Corolla hatch with a red spoiler that was in Bluewater on Saturday and seen travelling south of Proserpine on Sunday.

Police are now appealing for anyone with dashcam footage of the vehicle to come forward.

They have urged anyone with dashcam who was on or in the vicinity of Bluewater Drive, Jaloonda Rd, including the Jaloonda Rd boat ramp at Althaus Creek, and the Bruce Highway between Bluewater and Deeragun between 10.30am and 11.30am on Saturday to speak to police.

Queensland Police have released images of a red 1997 Toyota Corolla hatch.

Police believe the vehicle is linked to the killing of Tania Trickey.

Police will also allege a man, in the same vehicle, was travelling south on the Bruce Highway near Yarlboroo around 11.30am on Sunday when he pointed a shotgun at a passing motorist and fired a single shot.

Police are also appealing for anyone with dashcam footage who was in the vicinity of Midge Point Rd, Bloomsbury and the Bruce Highway in the vicinity of Bloomsbury, Yalboroo, Calen and Mount Ossa (about 40km south of Proserpine) between 11.30am and midday on Sunday.

It is alleged the car may have been driving in an “erratic” manner.

“The community plays such an important role in providing information, dashcam or CCTV,” Townsville crime services Inspector Jason Shepherd said.

“The sudden death of the woman in Bluewater on Saturday is a tragedy. We are urging anyone with dashcam or information to contact police.”

Police previously claimed it was “very obvious” Ms Trickey’s death was suspicious, noting the body had not been concealed.

A Queensland Police spokesman said they would release more information after an autopsy was carried out on Tuesday.

At 8.30pm on Sunday, a 38-year-old man was arrested in relation to Ms Trickey’s death at a Main St business in Proserpine.

Police allege the Deeragun resident had been in a relationship with Ms Trickey for a number of months before she was killed.

The man is also being questioned in relation to an unrelated drive-by shooting, which police claim took place on Sunday before his arrest.

Police allege he was driving south on the Bruce Highway near Yarlboroo at about 11.30am on Sunday when he pointed a shotgun at a passing motorist and fired a shot into her car.

A group of teens riding quad bikes found the woman’s body in the bush near Bluewater. Picture: Leighton Smith

The shot hit the rear driver’s side door and the motorist was “shaken up but uninjured”, police say.

The man had allegedly been driving “erratically” up and down the Bruce Highway after the incident.

Forensic teams from Townsville are in Mackay to assist in the examination of the gun.

Police arrested the man on Sunday evening at a service station in Proserpine.

The man was allegedly captured on dashcam footage driving the same red hatchback to the site of Ms Trickey’s murder on Saturday morning.

Ms Trickey’s partner was allegedly known to police and is continuing to assist in their inquiries.

The investigation is ongoing. Picture: Daniel Shirkie

No charges have been laid for either offence, but police confirmed the Deeragun resident was still in custody. He is not expected to be released anytime soon.

Police have not detained anyone else in relation to Ms Trickey’s death.