NT Police suspend search for missing Darwin mum Angie Fuller, as homicide investigation launched
The search for a Darwin mum who vanished off the side of the highway near Alice Springs has been suspended, with police now treating her disappearance as a homicide.
Police & Courts
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Police are treating the disappearance of a Darwin mum of two as a homicide 15 days after she was last seen in the Central Australian desert.
Northern Territory Police suspended the search and rescue operation for Angie Fuller, after two weeks of intensive searches across Alice Springs failed to find the 30-year-old woman.
Assistant Commissioner Michael White said the large-scale operation covered almost 400sq km of difficult terrain, but did not locate Ms Fuller.
“However, police will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, which is being treated as suspicious,” he said.
Mr White said Ms Fuller was last seen in a red Toyota Corolla at Alice Springs at 6.40pm on Monday January 9 at a truckstop north of Alice Springs.
But Mr White said it was more than 48 hours before she was reported missing, with police notified late on Wednesday evening.
The red Toyota was found abandoned on the Tanami Rd, north west of Alice Springs, 12 hours after she was last seen.
Mr White said it was believed she was involved in a two-vehicle incident on the Tanami Highway, about 15km west of the Stuart highway in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“There was two vehicles involved and some sort of dispute, and as a result one of the cars was run off the road,” he said.
“That is the point where we believe Ang became separated from everyone else.
“We believe at this stage that Angie is missing because of third party intervention.
“I’ve declared it a serious investigation and as a result we are investigating it and treating it as a homicide.”
Mr White said it was a complex investigation, with a number of possible scenarios, but “our feeling, from the evidence we do have, is that something untoward has happened to her.”
“Police have spoken to all persons who are known to have last had contact with Angie,” he said.
Mr White confirmed allegations of firearms being involved were part of the investigation.
Police have previously identified a suspected “person involved” in Ms Fuller’s disappearance, with an incident involving a second vehicle flagged by investigators.
Mr White said a man had been spoken to by investigators and was “continuing to assist police at times”.
He confirmed the man was a person of interest, was known to Ms Fuller and “they were together prior to her disappearance”.
Mr White said the man was with Ms Fuller when she was last seen at the truckstop north of Alice Springs.
He said corflutes had been put up around the Alice Springs region, appealing to any members of the public who may have information relating to her disappearance.
He said a reward for information was “always on the table, but not at this stage”.
Anyone with information on Ms Fuller’s whereabouts was urged to contact police on 131 444 or via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, and quote the reference number 10228143.
Family have told the publication the search for their loved one would continue, even as the ground search is called off.
Mr White said Ms Fuller’s father was “quite distraught” and police were providing support to her family.
“They understand at this stage it is a very challenging investigation,” he said.
Mr White said Ms Fuller had just returned to Alice Springs after visiting Darwin for Christmas.
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