Has body of British backpacker Peter Falconio finally been found?

Has body of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio finally been found? Human remains are discovered in Australian Outback near where he and girlfriend Joanne Lees were ambushed more than 20 years ago

Police hunting for the remains of British backpacker Peter Falconio have found bone fragments in the Australian Outback – almost 22 years after he was murdered by a drug-runner who also tried to abduct his girlfriend.

Mr Falconio, from Hepworth, Huddersfield, was shot dead by Bradley Murdoch in July 2001 but the convicted killer has refused to admit responsibility or reveal where Peter’s body was left.

But today it has emerged that bone fragments have been found near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory – just a few hundred miles from where he was murdered while crossing the country with Joanne Lees in a orange Volkswagen campervan.

The remains are in a location where detectives always believed his body was left by Murdoch. Remains were discovered in 2003, 2004 and 2007 but were not Mr Falconio, who was 28 when he died.

‘We have been down this track before so we are not jumping to any conclusions,’ one Northern Territory detective said. 

But a source has said that the age and location of the bones found this week are considered a close match to Mr Falconio and the case that has captivated in the UK and Australia for decades. 

It is not known what led police to the scene – but last year it emerged that Peter’s family were given a new tip-off just hours after a $1million reward for information was offered. Reports at the time suggested a new potential witness was found, raising hopes of a breakthrough for his heartbroken parents Joan and Luciano – and Joanne.

The remains of backpacker Peter Falconio (pictured, with his girlfriend Joanne Lees) may have been discovered near the last place he was seen alive.

Northern Territory police have done multiple searches for the British tourist’s body over the years and remained hopeful of finding his remains (pictured, Mr Falconio and Ms Lees). Joanne Lees (right) would escape Murdoch and hide before raising the alarm

Peter and girlfriend Joanne Lees were in a campervan when they were pulled over by drug-runner Bradley Murdoch (pictured right) who shot Mr Falconio and tried to abduct Ms Lees

Peter and girlfriend Joanne Lees were in a campervan driving along the remote Stuart Highway (pictured) between Alice Springs and Darwin on July 14, 2001

Murdoch is eligible for parole in 10 years – but will not walk free without revealing the location of Peter Falconio’s body under the NT’s ‘no body no release’ laws.

Police said the age and location of the bones found this week are a close match to Mr Falconio’s case. 

Forensic experts will find out if they belong to the backpacker using DNA and dental records.   

Murdoch has refused to tell police where the body is located and has maintained his innocence. 

Peter and girlfriend Joanne Lees were in a campervan driving along the remote Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Darwin on July 14, 2001.

They were pulled over by drug-runner Bradley Murdoch who shot Mr Falconio and tried to abduct Ms Lees.

She managed to escape, hiding in the bush for hours until she flagged down a truck and raised the alarm – but no trace of her boyfriend’s body has ever been found.

Bradley Murdoch grabbed Joanne Lees, tied her up with cable ties and bundled her into the back of his ute. She would later re-enact it in the hope somebody would help find Peter

Bradley Murdoch is believed to have hidden the remains somewhere in the vast expanse of desert between Alice Springs and Broome, 1,700km away in Western Australia

Joanne Lees managed to wriggle free as he disposed of Mr Falconio’s body and their van, and hid in the bush to avoid Murdoch’s dog while he searched for her

Joan Falconio (pictured with Peter’s father Luciano) is still tormented by the loss of her son 21 years ago on a remote stretch of road between Alice Springs and Darwin

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