Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we know a new reward of up to five
hundred thousand dollars has been announced for information that leads
to the discovery of Peter Falconio's body. Bradley John Murdoch
was indeed convicted of mister Falconio's murder in two thousand
and five and sentenced to life imprisonment. Now it comes
amid reports that mister Murdoch is near well, is in
(00:22):
his deathbed and has been transferred to Allis Springs Hospital
for palliative care. Now joining me in the studio is
the Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wursk. Good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
You, morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Now, Assistant Commissioner, firstly, remind us what happened in this
cold case.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
So on the fourteenth of July two thousand and one,
ten kilometers north of Barrow Creek, which is obviously north
of Aler Springs on the Stuart Highway, there was an
incident that occurred where Bradley John Murdoch stopped a vehicle.
That vehicle had Joina Lee's and Peter Falcono in it.
As a consequence of that altercation, Peter Falcone was killed,
(01:03):
Joe and Lee's was an attempt to abduct her, and
she escaped and was later identified by a passer by
and raised the alert at the Barrow Creek Hotel, and
then Northern Territory Police kicked into action and a very long,
protracted investigation ensued that ultimately led to the arrest of
Bradley John Murdoch and his conviction for murder and attempted
(01:24):
the abduction in December of twenty two thousand and five,
as you rightly said, he was convicted of that murder
and that abduction and later sentenced to life imprisonment with
a non parole period of twenty eight years in the territory. However,
after the investigation and the conviction, we hadn't identified the
location of or recovered a body of Peter Falcono. Laws
(01:47):
were then passed that meant that if you didn't identify
the body, a person who was on parole would never
be eligible for parole unless that body was identified and located,
and whether that information came from the individual or another,
it didn't matter. And that particular provision is in place
now and as a consequence of that that all the
Territory police have never stopped investigating this matter. So even
(02:09):
though the conviction occurred and there were a number of
appeals and that they're all upheld and the conviction still
stands to this day, we've always been looking for new information,
tracking that information down searching. We've done numerous searches over
the years after the conviction and none of which have
obviously yielded any outcome. We've been working on this again
(02:29):
with a renewed effort since the beginning of this year,
and that culminated in effectively yesterday. It's coincidentally similar timing
to mister Murdock being ill, is that I understand we
were working toward the twenty fourth anniversary of the disappearance,
which is on the fourteenth of July this year. That's
what we were working toward. So what we announced yesterday,
(02:50):
Commander Mark Greeve announced a fresh reward, so not an
increase in the old reward. That the old reward was
in relation to the homicide investigation, in relation to identifying
the body of Peter. So it's a reward for up
to five hundred dollars five hundred thousand dollars to be
paid to someone for information that's verified it could lead
(03:12):
to the identification location and recovery of Peter Falcono's body.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I would imagine it can be a bit difficult because
I would suspect that sometimes when you announce rewards like this,
is that you get some you know, some crazy calls,
people making all sorts of claims.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
There's an interesting element to this.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
That's why we say verified yes, So we don't expect
all the psychics out there to start their work again
and fire all that information with us. That doesn't really
help us. We're after verified information. So what that means
in this context is we, other than mister Murdock, hope
that someone obviously has been told something, heard something, seeing something.
(03:50):
It's privy to information that's specifically relevant for us identifying
the location of the body. That's what we're after.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Well, you do wonder, after all of those years in
prison as well, whether there's been sort of some gloating,
some talking, some who knows what may have been seen
at some point to fellow prisoners, to family members, to anybody.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Look absolutely, and that's what we're focused on here. As
I said, it coincides with this reporting that he may
be ill. It might be the case that if someone
does have information, they may not be willing to provide
it right now, but if he were to pass at
some point, that might be the trigger point. So we're
appealing to the public anyone with information, regardless of how
small you think it may be, that relates specifically to
(04:31):
the identification of the body. The investigation has been complete
into the homicide and the abduction. We do not need
information in relation to Thatt. This is specific to the body.
The whole pretense here is for us to be able
to locate the body so we can allow the family
can lay.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Peter to rest.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Have ween spoken to Peter Felconio's family.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Not myself personally, but our team, the team that I've
been working on this throughout the entire journey, have been
in contact with Peter's family, both Luccio and Joanne in
the last twenty for ours and they're well aware of
what we're doing and why we're doing it, and they've
been assisting us as well, because all they want is
this to be closed for them. They're both aging now,
they've been dealing with this for the last twenty four years,
(05:12):
and all they want is to be able to go
to their graves with the knowledge that Peter's been Later
rest and that's what we're trying to help them with
and we'll continue to do that. So again there's that
call for information. If you do know or you want
to tell us something at a point in time, just
by the time get the information together one three one,
Triple four, Crime Stoppers one eight hundred, Triple three, triple zero,
(05:32):
or contact if you know other police officers. You can
provide that information anyway. Cannot be anonymous if you wish
to be eligible for any reward that might be payable.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So you have like it can't be anonymous.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Anonymous then we don't know who you are exactly right.
Don't expect to be paid anything.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Tell me. Has Bradley John Murdock recently been reinterviewed by
the Northern Territory Police.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
We have spoken with him recently and that didn't necessarily
yield the information that we're after anticipated. So we've now
developed this additional plan in relation to how we hope
to get the information that's going to lead us to
finalizing this investigation.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
And I mean, despite being charged, convicted, you found to
be guilty, he's never been forthcoming with information, has he? No?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
I'd suggest if you were to speak to him he's
probably still professing his innocence. However, a jury of his
peers suggested otherwise, and all the courts that have heard
appeals have upheld that that conviction stands. He will die
as a murderer, and he knows where this body is
and whether he chooses to tell us, but he may
tell somebody else, and that person, if they were to
(06:43):
provide that information to us, may be eligible for that reward.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, you cannot even like, I cannot even begin to
imagine this whole ordeal for the family of Peter Falconio,
and also for joe Ann Lee's and still never being
able to locate his body and not being able to
give him that proper resting place.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Yeah, that must be really, really difficult.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
They've lived with that every day since since this occurred
in two thousand and one. It's closure for that family.
It's also closure for the Northern Charity police and the
Northern Territory community because this has become part of our consciousness,
our psyche over many, many years. Many many police officers
have been involved in this investigation. I worked on it
in two thousand and one myself in our springs. It
(07:24):
will give closure to lots of people, but most particularly
the Falcano family and Joe and Lee's for that matter too.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, and I know you'd touched on
this before. Obviously his family it's been a long long
period of time. I would imagine they're aging. You know,
it's something that you want to make sure that at
some point you're able, you know, to find out exactly
where your son is.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And that's why we've gone to this extraordinary step of
going to this reward. It's not to investigate a crime anymore,
but it's investigating the consequence of a crime. And we've
got the approval to announce this. We've got the money
vulnerable as required. If we can verify information that leads
to that discovery, that really important discovery for the family,
(08:07):
then as I said, up to five hundred thousand dollars
someone may be eligible.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
So can you just sort of give us a like
a bit more info about how that verification would have
to happen, Like it's not just as simple as passing
on some information and the Northern Territory like you literally
have to locate.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Indeed, it actually it can't be just information that sends
us off on a wild goose chase.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
We actually have to find.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Evidence of Peter's remains as consquence information provided by an individual,
and that will take some time. It's not something that
you'll get in immediately. We have to then verify it.
So if someone says something to us today with the
due diligence that we would normally do, then it requires
us to go back out into the field wherever that
may be and do what we need to do identify
(08:48):
an individual. We then have to do with the DNA
testing to create the verification, which we're prepared to do.
We're ready to do that if that were to eventuate,
and we really hope that's what comes of this.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
All right, Assistant can be just reminds listeners this morning,
how can people report any information that they might have.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
So we're after information that is verifiable that relates specifically
to the identification of the current location of Peter Fowl
Conio's body. If you have any information now or you
come about information in the near future in relation to that,
please contact police on one three one triple four or
on crime Stuff is one eight hundred triple three, triple
(09:26):
zero and provide that information to police. You need to
provide your details and as I said, if it's verified
information that leads to us recovering the remains of Peter,
then you may be eligible for up to five hundred
thousand dollars by way of reward.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I mean, is this really one last attempt from the
Northern Territory Police to see if this convicted murderer will
actually reveal that information to somebody.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
It's another attempt and if this we hope that this yields.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
What we're after. We haven't been down this path previously.
It is probably you know quite timely that it's happening.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
As we speak.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
If this is not successful, we'll continue to do more
work on this. But obviously as people get older and
people age, so those in that twenty four year years
ago age bracket are aging as well. So you know,
if you've got if you're going to pass with something
on your conscience, please tell us before you pass.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It would be really important for the family.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Absolutely well. Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst really
appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Thanks Courtie, Thank you
Now we know a new reward of up to five
hundred thousand dollars has been announced for information that leads
to the discovery of Peter Falconio's body. Bradley John Murdoch
was indeed convicted of mister Falconio's murder in two thousand
and five and sentenced to life imprisonment. Now it comes
amid reports that mister Murdoch is near well, is in
(00:22):
his deathbed and has been transferred to Allis Springs Hospital
for palliative care. Now joining me in the studio is
the Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wursk. Good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
You, morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Now, Assistant Commissioner, firstly, remind us what happened in this
cold case.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
So on the fourteenth of July two thousand and one,
ten kilometers north of Barrow Creek, which is obviously north
of Aler Springs on the Stuart Highway, there was an
incident that occurred where Bradley John Murdoch stopped a vehicle.
That vehicle had Joina Lee's and Peter Falcono in it.
As a consequence of that altercation, Peter Falcone was killed,
(01:03):
Joe and Lee's was an attempt to abduct her, and
she escaped and was later identified by a passer by
and raised the alert at the Barrow Creek Hotel, and
then Northern Territory Police kicked into action and a very long,
protracted investigation ensued that ultimately led to the arrest of
Bradley John Murdoch and his conviction for murder and attempted
(01:24):
the abduction in December of twenty two thousand and five,
as you rightly said, he was convicted of that murder
and that abduction and later sentenced to life imprisonment with
a non parole period of twenty eight years in the territory. However,
after the investigation and the conviction, we hadn't identified the
location of or recovered a body of Peter Falcono. Laws
(01:47):
were then passed that meant that if you didn't identify
the body, a person who was on parole would never
be eligible for parole unless that body was identified and located,
and whether that information came from the individual or another,
it didn't matter. And that particular provision is in place
now and as a consequence of that that all the
Territory police have never stopped investigating this matter. So even
(02:09):
though the conviction occurred and there were a number of
appeals and that they're all upheld and the conviction still
stands to this day, we've always been looking for new information,
tracking that information down searching. We've done numerous searches over
the years after the conviction and none of which have
obviously yielded any outcome. We've been working on this again
(02:29):
with a renewed effort since the beginning of this year,
and that culminated in effectively yesterday. It's coincidentally similar timing
to mister Murdock being ill, is that I understand we
were working toward the twenty fourth anniversary of the disappearance,
which is on the fourteenth of July this year. That's
what we were working toward. So what we announced yesterday,
(02:50):
Commander Mark Greeve announced a fresh reward, so not an
increase in the old reward. That the old reward was
in relation to the homicide investigation, in relation to identifying
the body of Peter. So it's a reward for up
to five hundred dollars five hundred thousand dollars to be
paid to someone for information that's verified it could lead
(03:12):
to the identification location and recovery of Peter Falcono's body.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I would imagine it can be a bit difficult because
I would suspect that sometimes when you announce rewards like this,
is that you get some you know, some crazy calls,
people making all sorts of claims.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
There's an interesting element to this.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
That's why we say verified yes, So we don't expect
all the psychics out there to start their work again
and fire all that information with us. That doesn't really
help us. We're after verified information. So what that means
in this context is we, other than mister Murdock, hope
that someone obviously has been told something, heard something, seeing something.
(03:50):
It's privy to information that's specifically relevant for us identifying
the location of the body. That's what we're after.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Well, you do wonder, after all of those years in
prison as well, whether there's been sort of some gloating,
some talking, some who knows what may have been seen
at some point to fellow prisoners, to family members, to anybody.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Look absolutely, and that's what we're focused on here. As
I said, it coincides with this reporting that he may
be ill. It might be the case that if someone
does have information, they may not be willing to provide
it right now, but if he were to pass at
some point, that might be the trigger point. So we're
appealing to the public anyone with information, regardless of how
small you think it may be, that relates specifically to
(04:31):
the identification of the body. The investigation has been complete
into the homicide and the abduction. We do not need
information in relation to Thatt. This is specific to the body.
The whole pretense here is for us to be able
to locate the body so we can allow the family
can lay.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Peter to rest.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Have ween spoken to Peter Felconio's family.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Not myself personally, but our team, the team that I've
been working on this throughout the entire journey, have been
in contact with Peter's family, both Luccio and Joanne in
the last twenty for ours and they're well aware of
what we're doing and why we're doing it, and they've
been assisting us as well, because all they want is
this to be closed for them. They're both aging now,
they've been dealing with this for the last twenty four years,
(05:12):
and all they want is to be able to go
to their graves with the knowledge that Peter's been Later
rest and that's what we're trying to help them with
and we'll continue to do that. So again there's that
call for information. If you do know or you want
to tell us something at a point in time, just
by the time get the information together one three one,
Triple four, Crime Stoppers one eight hundred, Triple three, triple zero,
(05:32):
or contact if you know other police officers. You can
provide that information anyway. Cannot be anonymous if you wish
to be eligible for any reward that might be payable.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So you have like it can't be anonymous.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Anonymous then we don't know who you are exactly right.
Don't expect to be paid anything.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Tell me. Has Bradley John Murdock recently been reinterviewed by
the Northern Territory Police.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
We have spoken with him recently and that didn't necessarily
yield the information that we're after anticipated. So we've now
developed this additional plan in relation to how we hope
to get the information that's going to lead us to
finalizing this investigation.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
And I mean, despite being charged, convicted, you found to
be guilty, he's never been forthcoming with information, has he? No?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
I'd suggest if you were to speak to him he's
probably still professing his innocence. However, a jury of his
peers suggested otherwise, and all the courts that have heard
appeals have upheld that that conviction stands. He will die
as a murderer, and he knows where this body is
and whether he chooses to tell us, but he may
tell somebody else, and that person, if they were to
(06:43):
provide that information to us, may be eligible for that reward.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, you cannot even like, I cannot even begin to
imagine this whole ordeal for the family of Peter Falconio,
and also for joe Ann Lee's and still never being
able to locate his body and not being able to
give him that proper resting place.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Yeah, that must be really, really difficult.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
They've lived with that every day since since this occurred
in two thousand and one. It's closure for that family.
It's also closure for the Northern Charity police and the
Northern Territory community because this has become part of our consciousness,
our psyche over many, many years. Many many police officers
have been involved in this investigation. I worked on it
in two thousand and one myself in our springs. It
(07:24):
will give closure to lots of people, but most particularly
the Falcano family and Joe and Lee's for that matter too.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, and I know you'd touched on
this before. Obviously his family it's been a long long
period of time. I would imagine they're aging. You know,
it's something that you want to make sure that at
some point you're able, you know, to find out exactly
where your son is.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And that's why we've gone to this extraordinary step of
going to this reward. It's not to investigate a crime anymore,
but it's investigating the consequence of a crime. And we've
got the approval to announce this. We've got the money
vulnerable as required. If we can verify information that leads
to that discovery, that really important discovery for the family,
(08:07):
then as I said, up to five hundred thousand dollars
someone may be eligible.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
So can you just sort of give us a like
a bit more info about how that verification would have
to happen, Like it's not just as simple as passing
on some information and the Northern Territory like you literally
have to locate.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Indeed, it actually it can't be just information that sends
us off on a wild goose chase.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
We actually have to find.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Evidence of Peter's remains as consquence information provided by an individual,
and that will take some time. It's not something that
you'll get in immediately. We have to then verify it.
So if someone says something to us today with the
due diligence that we would normally do, then it requires
us to go back out into the field wherever that
may be and do what we need to do identify
(08:48):
an individual. We then have to do with the DNA
testing to create the verification, which we're prepared to do.
We're ready to do that if that were to eventuate,
and we really hope that's what comes of this.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
All right, Assistant can be just reminds listeners this morning,
how can people report any information that they might have.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
So we're after information that is verifiable that relates specifically
to the identification of the current location of Peter Fowl
Conio's body. If you have any information now or you
come about information in the near future in relation to that,
please contact police on one three one triple four or
on crime Stuff is one eight hundred triple three, triple
(09:26):
zero and provide that information to police. You need to
provide your details and as I said, if it's verified
information that leads to us recovering the remains of Peter,
then you may be eligible for up to five hundred
thousand dollars by way of reward.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I mean, is this really one last attempt from the
Northern Territory Police to see if this convicted murderer will
actually reveal that information to somebody.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
It's another attempt and if this we hope that this yields.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
What we're after. We haven't been down this path previously.
It is probably you know quite timely that it's happening.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
As we speak.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
If this is not successful, we'll continue to do more
work on this. But obviously as people get older and
people age, so those in that twenty four year years
ago age bracket are aging as well. So you know,
if you've got if you're going to pass with something
on your conscience, please tell us before you pass.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It would be really important for the family.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Absolutely well. Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst really
appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Thanks Courtie, Thank you
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