Unseen photos released 25 years after the Barrow Creek murder
On 14 July 2001 a British backpacker, Peter Falconio, was shot to death on a remote stretch of highway north of Alice Springs. The case sparked a national search for the missing victim’s body in the harsh Northern Territory outback.
Now, 25 years later, the Northern Territory Police Force has published photographs that were never made public during the original investigation. The collection includes a full‑length snapshot of Bradley Murdoch, the man convicted of the murder, who later died of cancer in jail.
The images also show injuries inflicted on Falconio’s girlfriend, Joanne Lees, as she tried to escape after being tied with cable ties. Additional photographs capture the abandoned orange VW Kombi van and the crime scene, offering new visual clues for investigators.
Commissioner Martin Dole said the release comes at a "significant milestone" and hopes the images will jog memories that could lead to a tip‑off about the body’s location. He added that the investigation remains open until Falconio’s remains are found and the family can lay him to rest.
A reward of up to A$500,000 is now offered for any information leading to the discovery of Falconio’s remains. Parallel to the photo release, NT Police also posted a body‑cam interview of Murdoch taken a week before his death in jail, hoping to hear him speak of the body’s whereabouts.
With the case remaining unsolved, the police urge anyone with new information to contact them, signaling that the hunt for justice continues even after two decades.
