Man charged with murder over Allison Bernard’s 2013 disappearance

The family of a 23-year-old woman who went missing in 2013 has praised the pressure put on police to “follow up their failed investigation” into her disappearance, following news a man has been charged with her murder.

Allison Neridine Bernard. Picture: QPS

A man has been charged with murder over the case of Allison Bernard, who went missing from Coen in Far North Queensland more than 10 years ago.

In the first update on Ms Bernard’s case since a $500,000 reward was announced in April last year, QPS announced on Tuesday night that a 62-year-old Coen man was assisting police with their inquiries in relation to her “suspicious disappearance” in 2013.

He was charged with one count of murder on Wednesday morning and will appear in Cairns Magistrates Court later in the day.

Ms Bernard was last seen at Archer River Quarry on February 10, 2013 about 11pm.

She had been seen at the Exchange Hotel in Coen that evening, and was expected to travel to Kowanyama, but never arrived.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Searle said Ms Bernard’s body had still not been located by police.

The arrest follows a gruelling 11 years for Ms Bernard’s family since the 23-year-old went missing.

Ms Bernard’s family released a statement on Wednesday morning following news of the murder charge.

Missing woman Allison Bernard had been seen at the Exchange Hotel in Coen. Picture: supplied.

“Many do not know that Ms Bernard is a Kowanyama woman who lived all her life in her community where the Mitchell River flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria,” the statement said.

“Ms Bernard was a cheeky little girl who grew into a quiet, proud and loving mother. She loved to dance and to swim in the freshwater on her country. Her favourite flower was an orange hibiscus.

“Many of you would not know that we laid her favourite flowers around her framed photos at her Inquest. Today we still grieve for her to come home. This has been a long sad journey for us as a family.

“After nearly 11 years the police have finally charged the man,” the statement said.

“Our women do not go missing and they don’t run off into the dark for no reason.

“The pressure from our lawyer and then the Coroner has ensured the police did their job and to go back and follow up their failed investigation in 2013.

“Now in 2024 a man is charged with Ms Bernard’s murder. We are grieving and we want her returned home.”

Supt Searle said there had been some “challenges and shortcomings” through the original investigation which had been “well documented” through the inquest.

“That has subsequently been reviewed and now every bit of information and every investigative strategy that we use is very carefully analysed and assessed,” he said.

Supt Searle said evidence at the inquest had helped in the investigation. He wouldn’t comment on whether police had new information or detail the police allegations.

He urged members of the public to come forward if they know anything and said the reward was still current. Police said investigations are ongoing.

Police aerial footage of a search for missing Kowanyama mother-of-two Allison Bernard in September 2021.

In 2019, The Sunday Mail newspaper ran a series of articles about the missing mother and spoke to her uncle, Teddy Bernard, who said he was disappointed her case had not been solved.

“The last time I spoke to detectives was five years ago,” he said at the time.

Mr Bernard called for an inquest into Allison’s disappearance.

Advocates who spoke to The Sunday Mail joined the call for an inquest, which was spearheaded by Sisters Inside CEO Debbie Kilroy; Bruce Morcombe, the father of murdered schoolboy Daniel Morcombe; and Vanessa Fowler, the sister of murdered Brisbane woman Allison Baden-Clay.

Ms Kilroy went on to offer free legal representation to the family.

In 2021 a coronial inquest was announced and a series of hearings have been held in Cairns.

“Finally we’ve had some movement after nearly eight years,” Ms Kilroy said after the inquest was announced.

“It’s a long time it has taken for the family to get any sort of form of justice or find out what happened to her.”

Further searches for the missing mother were held after directions from Coroner Nerida Wilson and later a $500,000 reward was announced.

Ms Bernard was expected to travel to Kowanyama but never arrived. Picture: Supplied.

On the 10-year anniversary of Ms Bernard’s disappearance, Detective Superintendent Sonia Smith read a statement from the family during the announcement of a $500,000 reward.

“We the Bernard family are still devastated by Allison’s disappearance. Her absence continues to impact our lives and community, particularly her children,” she read.

“We acknowledge the announcement of the reward by the Police Minister and we encourage anyone who has information that may assist investigations to come forward.

“Family members deserve the respect of having the questions surrounding her disappearance answered.”

The inquest is ongoing and Coroner Nerida Wilson is scheduled to resume sittings from February 19 to February 23.

Originally published as Man charged with murder over Allison Bernard’s 2013 disappearance