NT Police investigating claims by letter writer that Peter Falconio’s body was ‘cut up and dumped’

VIDEO: NT police are investigating compelling new claims by a letter writer surrounding the whereabouts of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio’s body

 

 

 

 

 

 

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NOTE: The Press Council has partly upheld a complaint in relation to this article. Read the full adjudication here.

The NT News was sent an anonymous letter — which was provided to police on Tuesday — which claims the remains of Mr Falconio, who was murdered by Bradley John Murdoch in the Territory Outback in July 2001, are buried in remote Western Australia.

The typed one-page A4 letter, sent via Air Mail from an Australian expat now living in London, claims Murdoch rang a criminal associate — who the NT News has not named — to meet him in the Outback after he had killed Mr Falconio.

RELATED: FALCONIO MURDER A CRIME AUSTRALIA WON’T FORGET

“Murdoch phoned (the associate) and ordered him to fly to Darwin at once, hire a car and meet him in the Outback,” the letter states.

“When they met, Murdoch told (the associate) that he had murdered a guy in self-defence. At the time, (the associate) had no idea who the victim was.

“Murdoch had cut the body up and put it in two large … bags that were watertight and smell proof.

“He told (the associate) to go straight back to Perth and dissolve the body parts in acid and put what was left in the Swan River.”

The letter states the associate was ordered by Murdoch to drive to Adelaide, leave the car and fly back to Perth.

“(The associate) told me he couldn’t even open the bags he was sick and petrified.

“When he got back to Adelaide he didn’t fly but got the Indian Pacific back to Perth, thinking that the two large bags would draw less attention on the train,” the letter states.

“Murdoch had connections with Geraldton and Broome, they were always going up there to unload or buy stolen goods and drugs.

Bradley John Murdoch, who was found guilty of Peter Falconio’s murder and sentenced to life in prison. Picture: Lindsay Moller

“(The associate) told me he went way past Geraldton and buried both the bags unopened in a nice spot and even made up a cross.

“Later he realised who he had buried and was in a bad way about it.

“He knew I had a sister who worked in law and asked what I thought he would get if he went to the police.

“I told him I thought about five years for assisting Murdoch. This terrified him.

“But I did tell him better to go to the police now before Murdoch decides to tell the whole story.

“After that I lost touch and never heard from him again.”

The author of the letter says he was once involved in criminal activity with the associate.

“I regret I must stay anonymous, as you read on you will know why,” the letter states. “I swear the following is the truth as far as I can recall it.

“I don’t know every detail of times, dates, exact places but I know enough.

“(The associate) knew and done deals with Brad Murdoch.

NT Police search Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees’ van after Mr Falconio’s murder. Picture: News Corp Australia

“(The associate) was very scared of him because Murdoch had a lot on him. I never met Murdoch but (the associate) told me a lot about him.”

The author says it was wrong of him to betray the trust of the associate “but I feel the Falconio family and his girlfriend (Joanne Lees) deserve to know what happened to their loved one”.

In a brief statement to the NT News, a police spokesman said: “Northern Territory Police are reviewing the contents of the letter to determine whether it contains material which should be investigated further.”

The NT News understands police receive dozens of letters each year from people claiming to know the whereabouts of Mr Falconio’s body but the specifics outlined in this particular letter has piqued their interest.

The Falconio case remains one of the most infamous murders in Australia’s history.

Murdoch was arrested and charged with his murder in 2003.

In December 2005, following a lengthy court trial, Murdoch was convicted of Mr Falconio’s murder and sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 28 years.

Murdoch has protested his innocence ever since he was charged over the killing which took place on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek on July 14, 2001.

Ms Lees was with Mr Falconio at the time of the murder but she managed to escape despite being bound and gagged by Murdoch, who had flagged them down at night on the highway.