Skeletal remains found in search for Thea Liddle in Byron Bay
Police have discovered skeletal remains in bushland in Byron Bay during a search for missing woman Thea Liddle.
Police have discovered skeletal remains in bushland in Byron Bay during a search for missing woman Thea Liddle.
It’s in the same area of northern NSW police and community volunteers had previously searched for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez, who was 18 when he vanished in Byron Bay more than a year ago.
The Australian understands police are confident the remains are not those of Mr Hayez.
“A crime scene has been established after skeletal remains were located in bushland near Byron Bay,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Officers located the remains about 1.20pm today. It is too early to determine if the remains are male or female.
“The scene will be processed by forensic officers, which will take a significant amount of time, with police expecting to maintain the crime scene into tomorrow.
Residents told The Australian the discovery was made in bushland off Tallow Beach Rd, near Tallow Beach south of the Cape Byron Lighthouse. The road has been sealed off as a crime scene.
Ms Liddle was last seen in the Mooball area or northern NSW on Thursday, October 31 last year.
She was known to be living in bush camps around Byron in the months before she disappeared.
Tweed-Byron’s District Commander, Superintendent Dave Roptell, said on Tuesday that police would spend two days searching bushland for any sign of her.
“Thea lived a nomadic and transient lifestyle … shifting from place to place, changing campsites often and would opt for places in remote bushland away from the public,” Superintendent Roptell said.
“We are conducting thorough searches throughout these locations for any indication of Thea’s presence there.”
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