Police focus on ‘person of interest’ in murder of Cooktown mum Donna Steele

Police reveal they are focusing on a prime “person of interest” in the murder of Cooktown mum Donna Steele.

Police have revealed they are focusing on a prime “person of interest” in the murder of Cooktown mum Donna Steele. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Police are focusing on a prime “person of interest” in the murder of Cooktown mum Donna Steele, as they revealed a reward and indemnity had prompted someone to come forward with information.

Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said police had “credible” information Steele’s killer was not a resident and was instead passing through the remote far north Queensland town at the time.

Police last week offered a $250,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Steele’s killer.

“As a result of that announcement and the subsequent media coverage, new information has been provided to investigators,” Inspector Hansen said. “That leads us to believe the person responsible for Donna’s murder was not a resident of Cooktown.

Donna Steele.

“We believe that the person responsible may have been travelling through Cooktown and had come from as far away as Cairns.”

Steele, 42, was last seen at Cooktown’s IGA at about 12.15pm on Wednesday August 2.

She failed to collect her two sons — eight and 10 — when they were dropped off by a school bus that afternoon.

Her body was found wrapped up and discarded in a crocodile-infested creek at Leggett’s Crossing, about 15km from her home, on Sunday, August 6.

Inspector Hansen appealed for anyone around Cooktown on August 2 to make contact with investigators through Crime Stoppers.

“While we believe the person responsible is not a resident of Cooktown, we believe that persons from Cooktown had knowledge of this offence and are also covering for that person.

“What I say to these people is it’s never too late to come forward and do the right thing. There’s two young boys who are growing up without their mother.

“Come forward and help these boys bring justice for their mother.”

He reiterated there was an indemnity from prosecution for people not directly involved in the offence.

“I won’t go into the specifics of the evidence but it is credible information we’ve received.

“I’m very confident we will get a result from this. It reiterates some of the information investigators had.

“The $250,000 is still available. A number of people can apply for that at the end of the court proceedings.”

He believed people were covering for the killer “out of loyalty for the person”.

“People move in similar circles and there’s a loyalty amongst people. Loyalty changes. Look at those two little boys. They’re now growing up without a mother.”