New details about missing Murgon man Jack McLennan’s last known movements revealed
New details in the mysterious disappearance of a 27-year-old Murgon man have been revealed as his parents warn they are determined to get answers and will never stop looking for him.
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New details in the mysterious disappearance of 27-year-old Murgon man Jack McLennan have been revealed as his parents warn they won’t stop looking for him.
In an interview with A Current Affair released on May 28, Jack’s mother, Kellie Moody, said her son’s disappearance had consumed their lives.
“We sleep with it, we dream about it, wake up with it,” she said.
“It’s like a black cloud is over this town, I’m not kidding. You feel it.”
Jack was reported missing on Friday, October 4, 2024, after spending most of the day with a co-worker in and around the Murgon area.
New information about how Jack spent the 24-hours before he was reported missing has been revealed.
Queensland Police confirmed Jack attended a “prearranged meeting” about a personal matter at the Murgon Police station on the day he was last seen, which did not raise any concerns for them about his safety.
According to the Channel 9 report, the visit was to discuss his tenancy rights as he and his girlfriend, Carlee Beetham, had broken up the day before and he had moved out of their shared home.
In the weeks after Jack disappeared, Ms Beetham said she had been speaking to him all throughout that day and they had plans to see each other the next day.
Later that Friday, he met up with Chris Duke, reportedly the last person to see him.
They visited a bottle shop in Wondai around 1.30pm, and according to the A Current Affair reporting, Mr Duke was the person who could be seen in the CCTV footage with Jack.
Ms Moody said her son wasn’t a drinker and was probably “just going along with it” and hanging out with someone who had also reportedly had relationship troubles.
She also believed this was the first time Jack had “hung out with” Mr Duke.
Around 4pm, Ms Moody spoke to Jack on the phone and he told her he had hit his head on a rope swing.
In previous reports, she said she was concerned he may have been suffering memory loss.
However, she more recently told Channel 9 he sounded fine, and she wasn’t worried at the time.
At around 5pm that day, the two men drove to Wondai to visit someone who was known to Mr Duke but was reportedly a “stranger” to Jack.
More detailed information about Jack’s movements over the next few hours has not been released to the public.
In a phone conversation just before 9pm, the last time she spoke to her son, Ms Moody said he was tired and going to spend the night at a friend’s place.
However, Mr Duke reportedly told police the pair returned to Ficks Crossing and spent around an hour at the swimming hole before Jack walked off on his own.
According to Ms Moody, Mr Duke told her he didn’t know which direction Jack had walked in and that he thought the 27-year-old was going on a date.
Jack’s phone went dead around 10.30pm the night he vanished, and it is believed the mobile ran out of battery.
He was reported missing the following day, on October 5.
An extensive search and rescue operation was launched in the days after his disappearance, including an air, land and water search with QPS dog squad, dive unit and members of state flying squad.
A week later, police found Jack’s shoes at Ficks Crossing, and later that same day they located his hat near McAlister and McLucas Streets in Murgon.
More than a month after he was last seen, his wallet, which was allegedly empty, and debit card were found on a private property near the search area.
In November last year, Ms Moody said she believed Jack may have tried to get back to his car, which was parked in Murgon, around 6km away from Ficks Crossing.
His mother said Chris Duke was not a person of interest in the case, and that she would like to go back to Ficks Crossing and walk through the events of that night with him.
However, she said neither he or his family have reached out to her or Jack’s father, Ross McLennan.
Jack’s family and supporters have spent the last seven months running their own investigations, including raising money to fund a reward and search operation, combing areas of interest, running down leads and speaking to anyone who might have seen anything.
The case has been referred to the Coroner’s Court for investigation, with his parents hoping this will bring more information to the forefront.
“They’re an independent body, and the investigation can be furthered from the Coroner’s Court if they deem that necessary,” Ross McLennan said.
“I think it would be necessary to have an inquest due to the nature of what happened to our son and circumstances around it.”
Earlier this year, posts on social media by supporters of the family said “there is a new search to begin” and “if Jack is where it’s been suggested he is, then bloody hell more resources are needed”.
The family said they had received tips naming more than one person of interest, though police have not confirmed this.
“We are now being privy to more than one person involved with Jack’s disappearance,” Ross McLennan told Channel 9.
“We are aware of who they are, and we will stop at nothing to bring justice for our son.”
Jack is described as caucasian, about 185cm tall with light brown hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and dark shorts.
Anyone with information about Jack’s disappearance should phone Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Originally published as New details about missing Murgon man Jack McLennan’s last known movements revealed
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