Peter Falconio’s dad speaks after death of outback killer Bradley John Murdoch

Luciano Falconio has told of his heartache after outback killer Bradley John Murdoch died without revealing the burial site of his murdered son.

Luciano Falconio said he wishes outback killer Bradley John Murdoch had “left something for me to find Peter” just hours after he learned the 67-year-old had died from throat cancer.

Speaking to News Corp in his first interview following Murdoch’s death from his home at Hepworth, 300km north of London, the 83-year-old was visibly in shock and lost for words when told the murderer had died.

“He has died, oh dear,” Mr Falconio said on Tuesday evening (Wednesday AEST). “You heard I said, ‘oh dear’, that’s my goodwill towards anybody.

“I don’t wish anybody dead because you have only got one life and I think if you’ve been given that gift of life...I don’t even know what to say”.

Luciano and Joan Falconio, the parents of Peter Falconio. Picture: Peter Bennett

He then asked again if Murdoch was dead, processing the news that the killer had finally lost his battle with terminal illness.On Tuesday, exactly one day after the 24th anniversary of the murder of his British backpacking son - Mr Falconio told News Corp he still lives with extreme “sadness” every day knowing his son was murdered and had held hope in finally laying him to rest.

“I tell you what I think, I wish he (Murdoch) left something for me to find him,” he said.

“I wish he left something.

“My vocabulary is not that good, what can I do, I’m only a human being”.

He said he had just spent a wet British summer’s day spending time with his grandchildren and said he thinks about his late son frequently, nearly every day, sometimes “every hour”.

Peter was murdered on July 14, 2001 after Murdoch tricked his son and girlfriend Joanne Lees to pull over their Kombi campervan late at night while driving on an isolated stretch through the outback between Alice Springs and Darwin while they were on a backpacking holiday through Australia.

When Mr Falconio got out of the vehicle after Murdoch lied that sparks were flying out of their vehicle, he went around the back of the van and pulled a gun on the backpacker and shot him in the head.

Ms Lees was bound in cable ties but was able to escape while Mr Murdoch went to dispose of Mr Falconio’s body.

Luciano Falconio with son Paul at Heathrow Airport in July 2001.

Murdoch always denied murdering Mr Falconio and never revealed where he disposed of Mr Falconio’s body.

He was found guilty in the NT Supreme Court in 2005 and had been serving a life sentence with a non-parole period of 28 years.

Mr Falconio said he has tried to move on with his life despite living with the horror of knowing his son was murdered.

“It happened 24 years ago and you have to think of yourself because it won’t do anybody (any good), what I have been through for 24 years,” he said.

“You have to look after yourself.

“However sad it is, I’m talking for anybody, not just for me.

“The sadness is always there, if you have something done to you wrongly whatever it is you have got to look after yourself.

“You harden with it”.

Peter Falconio and girlfriend Joanne Lees.

Mr Falconio and his wife Joan live about 9km from Ms Lees, who resides in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, said they are still in contact with her, albeit not frequently.

“I haven’t seen Joanne for quite a while,” he said.

“I know where she lives - if I need anything I can call.”

He said he last spoke to her about 12 months ago.

Earlier this week Mr Falconio told News Corp on the 24th anniversary of his son’s death that it was a “very significant day”.

“I wish I could find him and make an end to it, bury him,” he said.

“I still hope, yeah I still hope, but I don’t know, if we (will) live long enough”.

Originally published as Peter Falconio’s dad speaks after death of outback killer Bradley John Murdoch