Bradley Murdoch, the man responsible for murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, has succumbed to throat cancer at the age of 67 while serving a life sentence in Alice Springs, Australia. His passing comes a day after the 24th anniversary of Falconio's death, which still attracts attention due to its chilling details and unresolved nature.
Falconio was killed on a remote highway in Northern Territory as he and his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, were traveling through Australia. Murdoch had approached their vehicle under the pretext of helping them, but shot Falconio before abducting Lees, who managed to escape after hiding in the outback for several hours. The case became one of Australia's most infamous criminal incidents and inspired the 2005 horror film "Wolf Creek."
Despite extensive police efforts and public interest, Murdoch never disclosed the whereabouts of Falconio's body, an aspect that continues to haunt the victim's family. The Falconios expressed their mixed feelings upon learning of Murdoch’s death, stating they felt relief but still held on to hope of locating their son's remains.
The Northern Territory Police Force lamented that Murdoch's silence deprived the Falconio family of closure, with additional rewards still offered for information about the body’s location. Murdoch's conviction in 2005 was substantiated by DNA evidence, and he consistently maintained his innocence until his death.
His family issued a statement conveying their perspective, revealing that Murdoch had always denied the crimes committed against Falconio and Lees and stating that he was more than the criminal headlines associated with his actions. Despite Murdoch's death, police remain dedicated to resolving this lingering mystery in hopes of providing answers to Falconio's family.
