Police release new images in Peter Falconio body search appeal
Police have released never-before-seen footage of Bradley John Murdoch as the 25th anniversary of Peter Falconio’s murder renews the search for his remains.
Police released never-before-seen body-worn camera footage of Bradley John Murdoch as they revived the search for Peter Falconio’s body on the 25th anniversary of the Northern Territory killing. Falconio’s remains have never been found.
Peter Falconio was murdered on 14 July 2001 near Barrow Creek after Murdoch signalled the couple to pull over on the Stuart Highway by claiming there were sparks coming from their orange Volkswagen Kombi van. Falconio, 28, was travelling around Australia with his partner, Joanne Lees, when he got out of the van and was shot. Lees was bound with cable ties in an attempted kidnapping but escaped into nearby scrubland and later flagged down a passing road train for help.
Murdoch was arrested in August 2002 and convicted in December 2005 of Falconio’s murder and the attempted kidnapping of Lees. He died in palliative care at Alice Springs Hospital in July 2025, aged 67, without revealing the location of Falconio’s body. Northern Territory Police said the case could never be considered closed while Falconio’s remains were still missing, and a $500,000 reward for information leading to them remained on offer.
The newly released footage showed officers questioning Murdoch at Alice Springs Correctional Centre on 25 June 2025, with help from Manchester police in the United Kingdom. Police also released a video message recorded by Falconio’s parents, Luciano Falconio and Joan Falconio. Murdoch refused to say where the body was and declined to engage with the message.
Former lead investigator Colleen Gwynne renewed her public appeal for anyone with information to come forward, saying people should “do the right thing” and help the family find closure. Joan Falconio has also urged anyone who knows something to speak up, and searches for the body have continued over the years, including as recently as last year.
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