NT Police search bushland near Lake Bennett for body of missing man Richard Roe

INVESTIGATORS have intensified a search in rugged bushland near Lake Bennett for missing Darwin man Richard Roe, feared dead over links to the Top End’s drug underworld

Police search bushland near Lake Bennett for the body of missing man Richard Roe. He has been missing for 129 days. PICTURE: Kieran Banks

INVESTIGATORS have intensified a search in rugged bushland near Lake Bennett for missing Darwin man Richard Roe, feared dead over links to the Top End’s drug underworld.

An anonymous tip-off led police to return where Mr Roe’s abandoned car was found on the Stuart Highway, 150m south of Chinner Rd.

The area was searched in December but the fresh information was strong enough for police to thoroughly examine a 500sq m area yesterday. A search party of 40 police recruits and SES led by the Tactical Response Group walked through the thick scrub shoulder to shoulder.

Police hold grave fears for Darwin man Richard Roe who’s abandoned car was found near Lake Bennett.

The search was abandoned due to heat just after noon without finding a trace of Mr Roe, 40, and is expected to resume today. Serious Crime Squad Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Justin Bentley said Mr Roe was last seen by himself on ­Cadogan Rd on November 2.

Mr Roe was reported missing later that month and a week-long search of Lake Bennett over a 2.5km area and along 120km of tracks failed to find any trace of him.

Richard Roe who’s abandoned car was found near Lake Bennett late last year. PICTURE: Supplied

Sen-Sgt Bentley said Mr Roe’s friends had links with the drug scene. He said investigators don’t know why he travelled to Lake Bennett and were yet to uncover evidence that he was due to meet someone.

“We know there are people in the community who are yet to disclose what they know about Richard’s disappearance and we urge them to contact us on Crime Stoppers,” he said.

“He was here for a reason and had been sighted here for a couple of hours prior to him disappearing.”

Sen-Sgt Bentley said Roe’s disappearance was considered suspicious and reaffirmed investigators’ commitment to establish why he went missing.

“His family, rightly so, are very upset about what has happened and that’s why we want to reassure the family, his friends and anyone who knows Richard that the NT Police are doing everything we can to identify what led to the disappearance of Richard,” he said.

“When a person goes missing from the community, we believe there are people that would have known what has happened.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.