Australian police make Falconio murder arrest

Monday, 10 November 2003 12:00 AM

An Australian man has been arrested in connection with the murder of British tourist Peter Falconio.

Mr Falconio went missing in July 2001 after he and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were ambushed by a gunman as they drove along a remote highway in Australia's Northern Territory.

Bradley John Murdoch, 45, had already been in custody. He was arrested immediately after being cleared at trial in Adelaide of separate rape allegations

"A man has been arrested on an interstate arrest warrant in relation to the murder," said a spokesman from the South Australian state police.

During the rape investigation police were able to compare DNA taken from Murdoch to samples taken from the crime scene.

Murdoch is due to appear before Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday where Northern Territory police will apply to extradite him to Darwin.
An arrest warrant was issued for Murdoch in October 2001 in relation to the Falconio murder.

But the lorry driver was first put on trial over the alleged abduction and rape of a woman and her 12-year-old girl in South Australia in August last year.

Despite a huge manhunt there has been no sign of Falconio since he and Ms Lees were ambushed.

Ms Lees told police she was kidnapped and tied up but managed to escape and hid in the bush while the attacker hunted her.

Mr Falconio's body has never been found.

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