Jasmeen Kaur murder investigation: Police search for missing items after woman found in shallow grave

Police have revealed strange new details about their investigation into the alleged murder of Jasmeen Kaur, whose body was found in a shallow grave.

Jasmeen Kaur’s body was found in a shallow grave at Moralana Creek, about 40 kilometres north of Hawker. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Police are hunting for multiple missing items as they probe the murder of a young Adelaide nursing student who they now believe was ‘taken by force’.

Jasmeen Kaur’s body was found in a ‘shallow grave’ in outback South Australia on Monday.

She was last seen at Southern Cross Homes on Marion Road at Plympton North about 10pm last Friday night.

Miss Kaur, 21, was reported missing on Saturday before major crime detectives interviewed a 20-year-old man known to the victim on Sunday, who led them five hours out of the city to Moralana Creek, where Ms Kaur’s body was found.

Police said he denied any responsibility for the death despite knowing where the woman’s body was buried.

The man was arrested on Monday and has since been charged with failing to report a death and murder.

Police are now trying to locate Miss Kaur’s brown handbag, her work ID tags and her black slip-on shoes.

They are also trying to find a plate and knife, which is “associated with the driver” but their importance to the investigation could not be detailed.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray at Moralana Creek, where Jasmeen Kaur’s body was found. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, police revealed what they believed Ms Kaur’s final night looked like, alleging she had likely been kidnapped and multiple items were missing from her person when her body was found.

Major Crime Investigation Branch officer in charge Detective Superintendent Des Bray said the nursing student’s car was found at her workplace after she was reported missing, which led police to believe she had been kidnapped after finishing work.

“We believe it to be extremely unlikely that Jasmeen left willingly with anybody, and are investigating the possibility that she was taken by force,” he told reporters on Thursday.

Police are also gathering evidence to show Miss Kaur was being stalked, according to Superintendent Bray.

He said officers were aware of how she died and the motive, but could not elaborate further.

Superintendent Bray said it was “too hard to say” if the alleged killer specifically chose the location to bury Ms Kaur or if it was random.

“I don‘t think you’re driving to that sort of place at random with that sort of distance.”

Jasmeen Kaur, 21, was reported missing on Saturday. Picture: SA police

Superintendent Bray said Ms Kaur was inside a 2009 blue metallic coloured Commodore which travelled from Adelaide, through a number of safety cameras along the route to and from the gravesite.

These sightings included one at Virginia at 10:46pm, at Two Wells at 12:09 and at Port Wakefield at 12:40am.

“What we think happened there, is the offender’s travelled down South Road and missed the turn off at Virginia, has gone the wrong way, then done a U-turn, come back up Port Wakefield Rd and travelled north.”

“We'd like to know whether, in fact, the offender immediately turned right to travel to the Flinders, or whether, perhaps, went to a service station in Port Augusta to get fuel or drinks and the like.”

Superintendent Bray said the Commodore left Sterling North at 3:07am, with the entire trip totalling about 11 and a half hours.

“If you take out travelling time, that leaves about eight hours to bury Jasmine … it’s a considerable amount of time unaccounted for.”

It is believed Ms Kaur was killed in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police were seen excavating the shallow grave in the Flinders Ranges, north of Hawker, on Monday. Picture: 7 News

Police said a man known to the victim showed officers where the gravesite was. Picture: SA Police

The vehicle, with the number plate S267CJ, belonged to the accused man’s friend, police said.

It has since been seized.

The man charged over Ms Kaur’s death is described as an Indian national with a neatly trimmed beard and a moustache.

He appeared in the Port Augusta Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon by video link over Miss Kaur’s death, where it was revealed the man is in Australia on a student visa and has this year spent time in a mental health short stay unit.

Anyone who has seen the blue commodore or a man who fit the description waiting in the carpark of Southern Cross Homes, or who has dashcam footage of the vehicle while on its journey to and from the Flinders Ranges is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.