Northern Territory Police deny Peter Falconio test reports

NT Police on Friday night denied reports that human remains had been found near Alice Springs after speculation there could be links to missing British backpacker Peter Falconio.

English tourists Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees in 2001.

Northern Territory Police on Friday night denied reports that human remains had been found near Alice Springs after speculation there could be links to missing British backpacker Peter Falconio.

“No human remains have been located by Northern Territory Police, and a search is not currently being conducted,” police said in a statement.

Media reports on Friday evening said forensic experts were expected to use DNA and dental records to establish whether Falconio’s remains had been found.

The remains were reportedly found by NT police searching for missing Alice Springs woman Angie Fuller.

Falconio, 28, was murdered north of Alice Springs on July 14, 2001, when he and Ms Lees were ambushed by a truck driver.

The couple were driving along the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek when they were signalled to pull over by Bradley John Murdoch, who was driving behind them, as their van may have had an engine problem.

When the two men went to ­inspect the rear of the car, Murdoch shot Falconio in the head.

Ms Lees, who had met Falconio in 1996 and began living with him the following year, told police she heard a gunshot before being tied up by Murdoch. She was later able to escape, hiding in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted for her ­before she managed to seek help from another truck driver who was driving past.

Murdoch was arrested after Ms Lees identified him from police photographs shown to her in ­November 2002.

She again identified him as the killer when they came face to face during Murdoch’s trial in 2005.

Murdoch was convicted of ­Falconio’s murder and assault and attempted kidnap of Ms Lees. He was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 28 years in 2005. He has refused to reveal the whereabouts of the body.