A killer on the loose in Australia’s remote wilderness | Forensic Files

you've heard me talk about moving and I'm sure you've already got yourself a watch now let's finish your holiday
shopping and get a movement watch for someone on your list movement calm / case file is where I direct people who
comment about how good my watch looks that's MVM t.com / case for movement watches start at just $95 at a
department store you're looking at 400 to 500 bucks movement figured out that by selling online they were able to cut
out the middleman and retail markup providing you with the best possible price at such great prices and with
their classic design quality construction installed minimalism movement watches make wonderful holiday
gifts and you can get 15% off your watch today with free shipping and free returns by going to movement calm / case
file my watch there's a really clean design that makes a great fashion statement and now is the time to step up
your watch game go to movement comm / case file that's MVM t.com / case file join the movement case 71 is our final
episode this year and it's available one week early right now on tuning all new episodes of case file will be available
one week earlier tuning there's no paywall and you don't need to sign up for the pro version make sure you
download the free app available for iOS Android and Windows no signup required you don't even have
to enter an email address it's 100% free so while wait until next week after you've listened to the Kimberly Killer
head straight over to tune in to listen to case 71 our final episode of the year
right now and don't worry we'll be back early next year and episodes will continue to be available on tuned in
moving forward [Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at
anytime you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website the top end is the region of the
Northern Territory which encompasses the central top section of Australia the ancient rugged terrain spends over
400,000 square kilometres and is known for its joining rock shells which often poke out of dense rainforests table top
mountain ranges are worn almost flat by millions of years of erosion main rivers
like the Catherine and the Victoria have a great number of other rivers and creeks flowing into them especially in
the wet season the swollen waterways make perfect pathways for crocodiles to make their way across the region the top
end is home to both the kakadu and the newt Malak national parks the varying landscape draws many tourists and locals
to road trip across the region experiencing all the different terrains along the way
many stop off to camp and fish at remote camping grounds along the rivers and highways deep gorges and ice-cold fresh
water holes flow into vast river systems that fork across the top end and further
west into the Kimberley region this is in stark contrast to the arrow to draw red desert of the southern part
of the Northern Territory known as the red center if you travel west from the top end and
cross over the border into Western Australia on the one and only road that you can travel you instantly hit the
Kimberley region the Kimberley is the northernmost region of Western Australia covering Australia's entire northwestern
corner with prehistoric mountain ranges steep ridges and gorges of sandstone and
limestone covering an area of 423 thousand square kilometres The Kimberly's three times larger than
England there is so much steep land that the Kimberley is extremely challenging to traverse especially during the wet
season when even sealed roads are often flooded significant sections of the coastline have no road access with boat
or helicopter the only means of transportation to these isolated locations the two main roads in the
Kimberley are the sealed Great Northern Highway and the unsealed give River Road
the remoteness of the area means only three towns of populations in excess of 2,000 people the region's major gateway
Broome on the west coast has just over 12,000 another of the region's bigger Terrance is Cana Nara
which is just near the central border of the Northern Territory its population is
about four-and-a-half thousand people as far back as 1987 annual tourist income in the Kimberley was estimated at five
million dollars with around 100,000 visitors per year that's a popular draw card for people who want to get off the
beaten track and experience the rugged dramatic landscape of the Australian outback
in contrast to the steep terrain in the north the southern end of the Kimberley is flatter with the dry tropical
grassland it's home to over 30 large cattle stations camping fishing swimming bushwalking
scenic flights charter boat tours four-wheel driving and indigenous history experiences are all popular
activities for tourists and locals in the Kimberley as the Kimberley is one of the most remote areas in Australia
tourists are advised not to leave the main roads and to avoid driving at dawn or dream Ninoy mainly because of the
dangers of wildlife and the road trains which dominate the night hours you must ensure you're adequately prepared with
several days of water food and fuel off-road travel is only recommended with inexperienced God and there is no mobile
phone reception only satellite across the top end and the Kimberley regions outside the comfort of the cities and
maintenance tourists and locals search for the undiscovered the secret spot where they can be alone with their
thoughts like filtering through the trees the only sounds the crunching of leaves and rocks under foot or the
trickling of water as it flows by but whether deep in the bush on a desert plane or alone on the banks of a remote
River it's easy to leave yourself vulnerable vulnerable to hazards you may not even realize
[Music] in early June 1987 70 year-old Marcus Pullum the former deputy mayor of Fremantle in Western Australia was
enjoying a family holiday in the northern territories top end he was with his wife Winifred 42 year old son Lance
into Lance's wife Joan they were on the last leg of their camping trip gradually
making the three and a half thousand kilometer drive back to Perth from the top end travelling in their station
wagon on the Victoria Highway between Catherine and Timber Creek they drove at a relaxed pace stopping along the way to
camp fish and enjoyed the picturesque surroundings before they had the return to the hustle and bustle of the city
approximately 500 kilometers southwest of Darwin the Bullen family stopped to camp for the night at the wayside Ian
and caravan park in the small town of Timber Creek the Wayside Inn was a well known pit stop on the Victoria Highway a
small general store with a front veranda sheltering a petrol Belzer from the searing Northern Territory heat there
was basic accommodation and a caravan park out the back there was a good chance to stay the night somewhere with
some mod cons like a real toilet before setting off camping again in more remote
areas the next day the bullen's plan to head Southwest along the Victoria Highway towards the Kimberley region in
Western Australia Timber Creek was a must stop for the balloons that part of the Victoria River
was a fisherman's paradise and famous for its barramundi Marcus and Lance planned to get some quality fishing in
before they left the area the Victoria River is 560 kilometers long and runs from the Jude bra gregory national park
to meet the team or sea father creates a stunning Vista the Victoria River has a
large saltwater crocodile population which makes it a dangerous place for those unfamiliar with the area
crocodiles are common throughout the top end Kathryn and Kimberley regions after camping tonight at the wayside in
marcus and lance went for a drive the next morning june 9th to find the perfect fishing spot and a place along
the Victoria River where they could set up camp that night they left Winifred and Joan behind at the inn reassuring
them they'd be back in an hour or so Marcus and Lance drove around for a while as they passed the Timber Creek
Airport about nine kilometres west of the in there was a stretch of the Victoria Highway where the road hugged
the river giving them a view of the deep waterway and dense scrub buildup on its
banks just as the road began to divert away from the river a track appeared which had been made by other vehicles
they turned to the right and followed the track through light scrub as the trees grew more dense a clearing
suddenly appeared where they could park their car close to the river the location was a known fishing spot the
tracks had been made by campus and fishermen before them it looked perfect to Marcus and lands they got out of
their car to take a closer look around the spot was cool the hot Sun was being filtered through the thick trees around
them the unspoiled scenery and silence made them feel like they were the only two people around for miles
but they weren't alone they were being hunted as the hours ticked by and there was no sign of Marcus or Lance Winifred
and Joan became worried all sorts of things ran through their minds had their husbands found a great fishing spot and
lost track of time had they gotten lost did the car break down which way did they even go did they
have an argument and one drive off without the other well one or both of them injured and unable to go for help
had they been taken by crocodiles they only had one vehicle between the four of them and the Lance and Marcus had it so
the women couldn't go for a drive to search for them as the morning turned into afternoon Winifred and Joan
contacted the Northern Territory police at Timber Creek Station to report their husband's missing constable first class
Martin plum and constable Brett Thorpe where the two officers stationed at Timber Creek after taking the
missing-persons report they started searching the more well-known fishing spots in the area but they found no
trace of Marcus or Lance Bullen the officers had a difficult task the dude broke Gregory National Park is
enormous it's the same size as the greater Sydney area 13,000 square kilometers Marcus and Lance could have
been anywhere with no sign of them the search was called off when darkness fell earlier that morning when Marcus and
Lance got out of their car at what they thought would be the ideal fishing spot along the Victoria River there was
someone watching them the tranquility of their surroundings was shattered within
seconds when they were ambushed by me and brandishing a two-to-three rifle who ordered them to lie face down next to
their vehicle shocked and confused Marcus and Lance obeyed the stranger before they could work out who the man
was or which direction he'd come from he shot them in the back in quick succession killing both instantly the
killer stripped them both naked and dragged them by their feet to the high-water mark in the riverbed where he
dug two shallow graves on the sandy bank and pushed them in after burying their bodies the killer threw the bullen's
clothes and belongings into their station wagon he drove their vehicle away from the
river into nearby bush that was more sheltered from view he removed the number plates and set it alight the
killer then fled in his vehicle disappearing in a trail of dust the owner of the Wayside Inn and caravan
park Helen Anderson heard the news about Marcus and Lance going missing that day
and she thought back to a call she had received recently asking her to keep a lookout for a stolen white toyota
4runner only hours after they went missing Helen saw a man in a white 4runner at the caravan park at about
5:00 p.m. the vehicle matched the one that was stolen except for the plates the vehicle Helen saw at the caravan
park had Queensland number plates she knew how easy it was to swap plates though so she passed the information on
to police that knowing the following morning on June 10th the police search resumed constables plum and Thorpe
continued searching known fishing spots this took them out past the airport and down their dirt track the Bullen men had
driven the day before as they continued up the track they saw the balloons burnt
our station wagon down near the edge of the river they came across the shallow graves of Marcus and Lance they sealed
off the area declared at a major crime scene and then contacted Darwin for assistance given Darwin is six hundred
kilometers away from the remote town of timber creek assistants had to be flown in
at 1:15 p.m. that afternoon the team of investigators and a forensic pathologist
departed Darwin in a Northern Territory police aircraft local officers plum and thought hadn't break the news to a
devastated and disbelieving Winifred and Joan whose worlds had now been turned completely upside down only 24 hours ago
they'd been creating memories on a lovely family holiday they'd said goodbye to their husbands who they
expected to return with the location of their next campsite instead they were viciously murdered after the team from
Darwin arrived and a cursory examination of the crime scene was undertaken it became clear that a proper examination
and a full line search would have to be postponed until the next morning as night was approaching officers canvassed
the Wayside Inn and caravan park as well as local stores and businesses looking for any information on who could be
responsible time was of the essence to locate the killer who by now could be anywhere the task of apprehending the
person responsible was overwhelming given the sheer size of the area as morning burg on June 11th a routine
crime scene investigation began a full line search was conducted where police noted the presence of tire impressions
and boot print impressions that didn't belong to the bullen's a spent cartridge case from a two to three rifle was
recovered adjacent to drag marks on the riverbank this led police to believe that it had fallen out of the killer's
pocket as he was dragging the bodies they noted small bloodstains on each side of the tire tracks that the
bullen's vehicle had made the drag marks started from two large bloodstains on the ground next the where the bullen's
vehicle was originally Park before the killer moved it blood group testing proved once Dane was
from Marcus and the other was from Lance confirming that spot was where they were
shot the examination of the scene continued into the next day and didn't finish until the following evening
between the forensic analysis and the autopsy it was revealed that both men was shot lying face down next to their
station wagon the bullets passed through their bodies and embedded in the ground
beneath them Northern Territory police set up roadblocks and issued bulletins for people to be aware of suspicious
vehicles in the area tourist information centres issued advisories to travel only
during the day and in convoy if possible while this information would have reached people fairly quickly via local
media caravan parks petrol stations and pubs police had no way of contacting people who were already off the road
there could have been hundreds of people out there off the beaten track in remote
areas with no way of knowing the murderer was on the loose much of the area was so remote that
there was no radio contact at all police checked to see if anyone had a grievance
against Marcus Bullen back home giving his local prominence as former deputy mayor of Fremantle while this was a
plausible theory they failed to come up with any leads without any further information it was just a guessing game
no one knew who was responsible whether it was more than one person or if it was
going to happen again in the Western Australian Kimberley region approximately 37 kilometers from the
Northern Territory border is the town of Canon ara it is located 226 kilometers west of
timber Creek where the bullen's were noted if you're driving across the top end from timber Creek through the
Kimberley region across the Broome there is only one route that route is along the Victoria Highway which takes you
through Canon ara that's most well known as the location shoot for Baz Luhrmann's 2008 film
Australia starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman 25 year old Julie Warren / 26 year old fiance Philip walk a mile in
there 36 year old friend Terry bolt were well-known Kununurra locals Julie worked
the checkout at the local supermarket and she and Philip were due to be married in a few weeks to celebrate
their engagement they'd booked a keg of beer at the local pub for the following Saturday night Philip walk a mile was
president of the Kununurra squash club he was a member of a runners Club and he and Terry bolt will work mates at the
local airstrip for the Department of Aviation Philip Julie and Terry were all well-liked around town on June 13th 1987
the day the crime scene investigation was finishing up in Timber Creek and four days after the murders Julie her
fiance Philip and their friend Terry left can Inara in Philips car they were heading off on a camping and fishing
trip with a couple of other friends town wined and relax before focusing on their
upcoming wedding preparations 110 kilometers southwest of Caen Inara and around 350 kilometres from Timber
Creek the group stopped at a picnic area at the pentecost river crossing the picnic area is about three kilometers
away from the actual crossing itself on Gibb River Road the crossing is a popular four-wheel-drive tourist
activity however extreme caution is advised the crossing is wired and can be almost impossible to pass in the wetter
months but in the drier period it can be pleasant and there is good access to camping and fishing spots where you can
escape and get away from it all but like the Victoria River the Pentecost is also
home to a large saltwater crocodile population so you need to be careful Julie Philip and Terry set up camp at
the picnic area and they were soon joined by their two other friends David McKenzie and Daniel Rowe who drove in a
separate car the group fished into the night going to bed around midnight they ate breakfast together the next morning
June 14th before their two friends David McKenzie and Daniel Rowe left and returned to Kununurra Julie Philip and
Terry continued fishing at the same spot where they were cited by two other campers who were also fishing about 50
metres away the two other campers have left the picnic area just before lunchtime they noticed Philip and Terry
sitting on folding chairs drinking and chatting whilst Julie was packing their bed rolls and getting things organized
Philips aluminium dinghy with our board motor was moored to the riverbank the two other campers also noticed the white
toyota 4runner parked nearby in a dry creek bed there was no one with it though when the two other campers drove
off it was just Julie Philip and Terry alone at the campsite or so they thought unbeknownst to them they were being
watched not too far away a man dressed in camouflage gear was staking out their campsite from higher ground
the man was watching as David McKenzie and Daniel row left the campsite after breakfast and he was watching when the
other two campers left just before lunchtime leaving Julie Philip and Terry alone at the campsite suddenly the man
burst forward running towards the trio before they realized what was happening Julie was shot once in the back with a
two to three rifle Terry and Philip scrambled to escape the gunfire but Terry was shot in the head back and
shoulder Philip sustained multiple gunshot wounds through his ear in chess it was a lightning-fast ruthless attack
as with the bullen's five days previously the killer stripped of the trio naked this time he rolled their
bodies into the river perhaps in the hope they would be eaten by crocodiles the killer then placed
their clothes and belongings into Philips car drove it on a track and into a gully back towards the main road and
set it alight shortly before 4:00 p.m. truck driver Fred P s young was approaching in the top of the Pentecost
ranges in the road train he was driving from Mount Barnet to Lincoln he noticed black smoke near the Pentecost River
Crossing picnic area which he thought must have been from a campsite but given the acrid nature of the smoke fred
couldn't quite make out what exactly was causing the fire as he passed the track
entrance to the picnic area he noticed the white toyota 4runner leaving in his rearview mirror
Fred slowed and moved over to let the 4runner pass him and he saw it had Queensland for number plates he couldn't
really make out the driver only describing him as a small man Fred thought the large amount of camping
equipment in the rear compartment of the 4runner was unusual but he didn't think
too much more of it as it disappeared into the distance when Phillip and Terry failed to show up for work the following
day June 15th David McKenzie called ran to their houses David had been camping with them but left straight after
breakfast he couldn't raise anyone and when he found out Julie had also failed to show up for work his immediate
thought was that Noah stranded at the campsite maybe their car had broken down David drove out to the campsite with
another colleague as they drove to the spot David had last seen the group they saw Phillips Dean on the opposite side
of the riverbank they then discovered Phillips burnt-out station wagon but there was no sign of
anyone David contacted the police this time it was the Western Australian police who responded they conducted a
search of the campsite and noticed that the outboard motor for Philips dinghy was in the back of his car but when
David left the campsite the day before it was still attached to the Dean police also noticed small spots of blood on the
ground boot prints and five spent cartridge cases that appeared to be from a two to three rifle the forensic
evidence was eerily similar to the horrific scene that greeted Northern Territory police only five days earlier
at the Victoria River the search continued and around 4:15 p.m. Julie Warren's body was found floating
facedown in the river five hundred metres east of the campsite a crime scene was established and local police
called for further assistance that assistance came from Perth 3,000 kilometers away Western Australian
police immediately set up roadblocks throughout the Kimberley as far south as the Pilbara region and as far east as
the Victoria River where roadblocks set up by Northern Territory police after the murders of Lance and Marcus Bullen
was still in place at 7:45 a.m. the next day June 16th Phillip Walker Myers body
was found floating in the river close to the campsite teri bolts body was found on the south bank of the river a few
hours later [Music] tourists were strongly advised to reconsider their holiday plans they were
warned to stay off the roads and to not stop for strangers under any circumstances everyone was on edge who
was this person traveling the Outback gunning people down were they random attacks or was there a link between the
murders police had no idea who the shooter was worrying what direction he was headed but they knew he had a
24-hour head start on them which was extremely worrying given the experience of the Kimberley there were a lot of
tourists around at that time of year making it easier for the killer to blend in and giving him more people to attack
in Australia each police jurisdiction has a Special Operations Group or technical response group TRG these are
specialist teams that respond to high-risk situations such as sieges counterterrorism operations and other
armed offender incidents on June 16th 7 officers from the Western Australian TRG
and an officer from the forensic division chartered an aircraft from Perth to Kona Nara to assist with the
investigation detectives from the major crime squad were also flown in to investigate
based on the violent manner and cause of death the disposal of the victims personal belongings in vehicles and the
weapon used there was their opinion that the murders of Julie Warren Phillip Walker Maya and Terry bolt were
committed by the same person who murdered Marcus and Lance Bourne Kununurra locals were devastated at the
loss of Julie Phillip and Terry the murders of all five victims had by now made national headlines and media from
all over the country swarmed the local area although the murders of Lance and Marcus Bullen occurred in the northern
territories top end east of the Kimberley the media dubbed the gunman the Kimberly killer people in the
Kimberley and the top end could always felt reasonably safe but now with an unknown gunman on the loose and no clue
of where he might turn up next locals felt fearful threatened and angry threatened by the killer threatened by
the abrasive and intrusive media presence and angry that their way of life and sense of safety had suddenly
been disrupted by paralyzing uncertainty they started locking their doors for the
first time and shotguns were kept loaded and ready to go police decided to use the increased media presence to their
advantage continuing to issue radio and TV bulletins warning people in the area to be alert and to report suspicious
activity this was especially important given the time of year even though it was the dry season water halls across
the area were full due to good rainfall for someone who appeared to be is well prepared for the rugged terrain as
police believed the killer could bunk it down and take refuge in the more inaccessible parts of the Kimberley for
a good amount of time by now police were looking for the white toyota 4runner with Queensland plates
that had been seen in close proximity to both crime scenes they made nationwide appeals for any information regarding
stolen or missing Toyota 4runner and sought assistance from the public via the media regarding sightings of any
such vehicles in the Kimberley they really honed in on this lead and sought registration information for all
matching vehicles in the surrounding areas during their media appeal information was forwarded to
investigators that a white Toyota 4runner had been rented from Avis at Brisbane Airport by German tourists
named a Joseph Schwab aged in his mid-20s the vehicle had failed to be returned in accordance with the date
specified on the rental agreement and was now overdue police circulated descriptions of both Schwab and the
vehicle to other jurisdictions nationwide following the arrival of the Tactical Response Group from Perth they
spent the next five days searching outlying station homesteads and abandoned buildings police aircraft were
used to search for dust plumes from the air the dust put up by vehicle traveling
on a gravel or dirt road by this stage forensic evidence had determined that the boot print recovered from the
Pentecost River crime scene was a match to the boot print recovered at the Victoria River crime scene confirming
what police already believed the murders were committed by the same person roadblocks remained in place across the
Kimberley in the top end with police actively stopping all drivers to warn them against traveling into the area if
drivers insisted on continuing that were warned to not stop for anyone the South
Australian police force also set up roadblocks in the south along the Stuart Highway most tourists by now had
bunkered down a caravan parks and motels and as word spread the roads into and out of major towns in the region became
deserted but there was still the issue of campers who were already off-road that police couldn't reach there were
also remote mining communities sent cattle stations they may not have heard of the murders which remained a major
concern the most frightening part for Kununurra locals was led to trouble from the first crime scene in the Northern
Territory to the second crime scene at Pentecost River in Western Australia there was only one road and that meant
the killer had passed through their town further on from the second crime scene at pentecost river the next main town
was fitzroy crossing it was assumed the killer was either headed there was already there or had already passed
through the pressure on police to quickly apprehend the killer was immense the annual fitzroy crossing rodeo was
due to start within a week which meant thousands of people would be descending on the town at the time fitzroy crossing
had a population of only 1000 people and it was very isolated TV and radio reception was non-existent someone who
was very familiar with the area was out back helicopter pilot peter luden eagle Peter had heard about the murders and
knew police were looking for a white toyota 4runner about 8:20 a.m. on June 19th four days after the murders of Juli
Warren Phillip Walker Maya and Terry bulb Peter was up in the air mustering horses from his helicopter in
preparation for the radio at fitzroy crossing he was at a place called jubilee downs only 15 kilometers away
from where the radio was being held well up in the air he spotted what looked like a camouflaged vehicle in the bushes
in a spot that was unusual for tourists to set up camp he couldn't make out the make or model
of the vehicle as it was heavily camouflaged Peter thought it looked suspicious so he
flew to Fitzroy crossing police station where he landed and reported his sighting the technical response group
were alerted and were flown into Fitzroy crossing station they were briefed about
Peters sighting and then Peter himself took two senior TRG members up in his helicopter to conduct an aerial check of
the camouflaged vehicle they had no idea how many people were with it despite the
unusual area it was parked they thought there was every chance it could just be an innocent tourist setting up camp but
as they circled the vehicle and got a closer look something felt off about it it was so heavily camouflaged they
couldn't determine the make or model and it just didn't look like a spot a tourist would set up they couldn't see
anyone with the vehicle so they returned to Fitzroy crossing police station to implement the next step of their plan
identifying the person or persons with the vehicle was crucial both to ensure their safety and to eliminate them as
the killer they also had to be very careful because they had no idea if the killer had taken any hostages the
Kimberley and top-end are so remote people could be missing and no one would have any idea every precaution had to be
taken at midday a police cessna 182 small aircraft flew low over the camouflaged vehicle to try and flush out
anyone inside or nearby in the bush at the same time the team of seven TRG officers were sent in on foot as the TRG
approached dressed in camouflage gear the pilots were directing them via radio communication while keeping their eyes
on the vehicle as they watched on from above a figure suddenly emerged from the driver's side of the vehicle and started
firing up at the aircraft with a high-powered rifle the police pilot had to maneuver the
plane to avoid the rifle fire all the while providing instructions back to the approaching trj officers on
the ground who were incredibly vulnerable the tij team heard the gunfire and officer bob brown recording an interview
with the weekend west quote it was about then everyone made peace with their maker because we knew what we were
walking into as they got within eyesight of the vehicle they could see someone standing on the front rubra shirtless
wearing camouflage pants and firing up at the police plane despite there being low-lying scrub the area was open and
the TRG team were forced to take cover behind it in hills and whatever trees they could fall in as they were taking
cover the gunman spotted one of the officers in his peripheral vision and swiftly turned to face them the officer
in command called on the gunman to stop firing identifying several times that police
were present but instead of getting a verbal response that could lead officers to engage with him and hopefully
negotiate a quick end to his hostile reaction the opposite occurred the gunman pulled the rifle up to his face
took a good look through the telescopic sight and with military precision began targeting the trj team it became
immediately clear that he was not firing indiscriminately he was well trained his
frightening degree of accuracy meant the trj officers were split-second from death as bullets flew past them while
that desperately sought cover officer Bob Brown opened fire with his m16 taking off the gunman's left thumb and
blasting the stock of his rifle although injured the gunman ran to his car and emerged with the Ruger mini-14 a firearm
he could easily handle with one arm the gunman continued his aggressive assault while retreating in a westerly
direction the trj returned fire and used grenades consisting of prior technique tear gas being the dry season the use of
these grenades set fire to the scrub reducing visibility and increasing the risk that everyone involved
the gunmen had stockpiled ammunition all around his vehicle and as the scrub fire
continued to spread rapidly the heat caused the ammunition to start exploding the police plane above retreated
slightly to avoid the fire and explosions the gunmen retreated as well but then he stopped repositioned himself
and continued shooting at the tig team he repeated this action several times officers recognized that as a military
tactic in which an individual fires at the enemy in this case the police to prevent them from advancing then moves
to a new position and shoots again repeating until they're in a position to escape by this stage a significant
amount of the area was ablaze but the gunman wasn't backing down tij officers still had no idea if the gunman was
holding hostages so under covering gunfire from members of his team officer Bob Brown ran
through the flames towards the camouflaged vehicle which was starting to be engulfed by fire after accessing
the vehicle through the front passenger door he felt across through the choking smoke to find the keys in the ignition
he started the engine engaged ear and then drove the vehicle out through the flames and gunfire in case hostages were
being held inside but none were the vehicle was empty then the shooting stopped suddenly
everything felt so on there was no sign of the gunmen the trj team began to search the area cautiously given the air
was still thick with smoke they had no idea whether the gunman was dead or alive and hiding waiting to ambush them
during their search the police pilot spotted something lying in the undergrowth and radioed down as the TRG
continued to close in through the smoke they discovered a man's body lying face down on the ground a rifle beside him he
had a gunshot wound to his back which had exited his heart he was wearing camouflage army fatigue trousers and a
bandana around his head but was topless and a barefoot it was 1:15 p.m. the heavily camouflaged
vehicle was a white toyota 4runner with queensland plates police set to work preserving the area for forensic
investigation given the man wasn't wearing any shoes police searched the 4runner and found a
pair of Timberline brand boots which would later be found to match the boot prints located at both murder scenes
they located a firearms license driver's licenses credit cards checkbooks and camping equipment which were all items
that belonged to the five murder victims fishing tackle a toolbox and ten sets of
water buffalo horns were also filmed police still had no idea who they had shot they initially identified the man
through a passport found in his vehicle as Joseph Schwab the German tourist who had failed to return a white Toyota
four-runner rental car to Brisbane Airport but that would have to wait for formal fingerprint identification to be
sure a group of detectives from the Major Crime Squad in Perth and forensic officers arrived at Fitzroy crossing for
a briefing they then took control of the crime scene the gunman's body was transported to Derby Regional Hospital
for a post-mortem and on June 21st he was formally identified as Joseph Schwab to confirm identification police sent
his fingerprints to Interpol to allow a comparison to his fingerprints held in what was at the time West Germany Joseph
Thomas Schwab was born in the district of Schaumburg West Germany on November 25th 1962 Joseph and Johanna Schwab not
much is known about his childhood but it was said to be obsessed with firearms from an early age
he joined the Rifle Association at age 15 he started carrying a pistol at age 16 and he remained a member of the Rifle
Association into adulthood Joseph grew into a quiet man who didn't mix in large social circles he had few
friends in his early 20s Joseph decided to explore the world on June 15th 1981 he arrived in Australia
and moved to Henley Beach in South Australia he commenced work as a covenant maker and maintained his
interest in firearms by joining a pistol club in his spare time he enjoyed packing his rifles and taking trips in
his four-wheel drive into the South Australian bush to hunt wild pigs Joseph didn't do well maintaining steady work
and he eventually made the decision to return to West Germany for financial reasons little is known about his life
following his return home on May 10th 84 it's known he commenced work as a security guard 11 months later in April
85 as part of his role he carried a Ruger 357 magnum revolver and received firearms training in combat shooting his
on-the-job training did not include the use of rifles Joseph then became heavily
involved with a criminal gang in West Germany he stole cars and broke into houses
resulting in numerous criminal convictions it was likely due to police attention heating up on his criminal
involvement that prompted Joseph to leave West Germany and return to Australia he purchased five thousand four hundred
dollars in traveler's checks in Munich and quit his job as a security guard the following day he departed Frankfurt
headed for Australia he arrived in Brisbane Queensland on a tourist visa on April 18th 1987 three
days later he visited a Brisbane branch of the A&Z bank where he lied and told the bank teller his traveler's checks
had been stolen they were replaced to the value of $1,000 the following day April 22nd Joseph hired the white Toyota
4runner four-wheel drive from Brisbane Airport providing a false address of an unrelated a Joseph Schwab in Munich he
then drove to woollen gabber where he cashed both the original and the fraudulent traveler's checks at two
banks he visited a licensed firearms dealer and paid a deposit on a Winchester 12-gauge pump-action shotgun
and three rifles a two to three caliber Ruger self-loading mini-14 Asarco bolt-action 308 and a bold action 22 the
next day he paid the money owing and also purchased the large amount of ammunition around 3000 cartridges in
total little is known about Joseph's movements in the days that followed however on May 6th he stopped to buy
petrol in a remote area in Queensland the borders both South Australia in the Northern Territory
like the kimberley in the top-end precautions are essential for anyone traveling through the outback in western
Queensland sufficient food fuel and water provisions must be kept on hand at all times after receiving a parking
ticket on May 9th in the Queensland morning town of may annoy sir Joseph made his way north west towards Darwin
by May 20th Joseph had driven three and a half thousand kilometres from Brisbane
and arrived in Ueno a an industrial northern suburb of Darwin where he had the front end of his four-wheel-drive
repaired the next day he took the time to send his parents a postcard Joseph wasn't seen again until June 4th
when he was spotted at caramel Plains a game reserve south east of Darwin a large number of water buffalo in the
area were found shot and their horns removed it was these horns the police found in Joseph's vehicle after the
shootout Joseph continued his journey through the Northern Territory driving south west towards timber craic in the
Victoria River where he set up camp camouflaged himself and Storch Marcus and Lance Bowen viciously gunning down
the unsuspecting father and son he then made his way to Pentecost River in the Kimberley where he did the same to Julie
Warren her fiance Phillip Walker Moya and their friend Terry bolt an inquest into the murders and police operation
was held by coroner David McCann it concluded on December 17th 1987 Joseph's Schwab's death was found to be
justifiable homicide on the basis that he fired at police attempting to escape arrest and police returned fire in
self-defense Schwab death meant there were no answers as to his motivation for brutally
executing five strangers however it likely prevented more innocent people from being murdered there was no doubt
in the mind of TRG office of bob brown quote tragically somebody was killed given what we were confronted with that
was probably going to be the only result or the best result we could hope for because he was very much determined to
kill one of us and if he hadn't have been stopped then he would have killed other members of
the community we have no doubt Joseph Schwab's parents were in disbelief that their son could have perpetrated such
cold-blooded unprovoked attacks at the time Western Australia's gun laws were far more restrictive than those in
Queensland where there was no requirement for background checks or any restriction on the quantity of
ammunition that could be purchased had Schwab attempted to purchase the same weapons and ammunition in Western
Australia that would have been impossible in handing down his findings coroner McCain was highly critical of
gun laws in place of the torn he urged for strong revision of Commonwealth legislation to restrict the general
importation of high-powered firearms and to limit their availability to the public under strict licensing laws
questions around Schwab's motivation and state of mind prior to and at the time of the murders remain unanswered to this
day theories vary as to what motivated him to ambush and shoot five defenseless strangers in cold blood deceptively
obtaining and cashing the extra traveler's checks and providing a false address when he hired the toyota 4runner
indicate a level of premeditation however they failed to reveal a motive stripping his victims naked and burning
their belongings has been interpreted by some as an act of anger as opposed to an
attempt to destroy evidence robbery was also considered a potential motive given
some of the victims possessions were found in his vehicle but we will never know for sure
in an epilogue to the case in the years following the murders and Joseph Schwab's death public concern grew over
the behavior and integrity of the Western Australian police force as a result the Kennedy Royal Commission was
established in 2002 to determine whether any Western Australian police officers had engaged in corrupt or criminal
conduct one former detective referred to only as the codename old five agreed to
give information relating to the conduct of a number of detectives in the mid eighties to the early nineties his
testimony was lawfully exchanged for payment he said he had a guilty conscience but he was also struggling
financially he alleged that he and other detectives engaged in criminal behaviour
including theft of money and property from crime scenes one of those scenes was the shootout resulting in Joseph
Schwartz death former detective l5 was involved in the Schwab investigation with the Detective Sergeant from the
Major Crime Squad in Perth only known as Detective Sergeant LS 20 detectives l5 &
LS 20 were not part of the trj squad that shot Joseph Schwab they were part of the team that arrived from Perth and
took over the crime scene afterwards one of their roles was to make a list of every item found in Schwab's vehicle an
exhibit list a black leather wallet was found in the glove box containing 350 $3.75
however the cash didn't make the exhibit list detective l5 alleged that while the
forensic examination was being conducted Detective Sergeant L s20 approached him
gave him some cash and said he's some spending money for you while you're up eating when no father asked where the
money had come from LS 20 set that had been recovered from the glove box of Schwab's vehicle but he didn't say who
had taken it while some of the officers involved in the investigation and subsequent
operation outside fitzroy crossing and no longer members of the force the memories of the firefight in the bush
that day have stayed with them officer Bob Brown recalls the professionalism and bravery of his fellow TRG team
members quote before every operation you certainly become a little nervous but training confidence in yourself and
confidence in your team members so becomes that normal people wouldn't do this they would turn around and walk off
or run away but we're not in a position to we are sworn to do the job we do so turning tail and getting out of it is
not an option everyone in that team can be proud of their actions on that day nobody took a
backwards step this is something that really only happens in wartime thirty years later the victim's family still
fill a void in their lives on the anniversary of the murders this year Phillip Walker Maya's parents Maureen
and Otto spoke with the West Australian newspaper quote grief from homicide is a
never ending story it's like a scar that never heals some people think that after
a few months grief should have passed and things should be back to normal not so there is
a scar there that will never heal even after 30 years our Christmas is never the same as it was Philip was a kind and
caring young man and was ready to help anyone he had a great sense of humor and one of the things we miss is hearing his
laugh that was magic he was a gentle giant a beautiful person he loved people camping and fishing these are not morbid
times but the opportunity to share and remember the 26 years of happiness that he gave us
despite coroner McCain's recommendations in 1987 it wouldn't be until nine years
later the gun law reform in Australia would occur following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 the horrific nature of
the Kimberley murders at the height of the tourist season failed to deter visitors from flocking to the Australian
outback they remained a popular destination in the years to come during people from all
over the world curious to explore the majestic dusty experience including a backpacking British couple in 2001 named
- Joanne Lee's and Peter Falcone who [Music]

Case 70: The Kimberley Killer

The Kimberley is one of the most remote areas in Australia. Tourists are advised not to leave the main roads and to avoid driving at dawn or during the night – mainly because of the dangers of wildlife and the road trains which dominate the night hours.

You must ensure you are adequately prepared with several days of water, food and fuel…

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Gemma Harris Production, scoring – Mike Migas Additional scoring – Andrew Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

Website https://www.casefilepodcast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casefile Twitter https://twitter.com/case_file Instagram https://www.instagram.com/casefilepodcast Patreon https://www.patreon.com/casefile

RESOURCES

For all credits and sources please visit https://www.casefilepodcast.com/case-70-kimberley-murders

Brief Summary

The episode details the murders by Joseph Schwab and their impact on the community.

Key points

The Ambush. Marcus and Lance are ambushed by a stranger while fishing, leading to their tragic fate.
The Tragic Holiday. Marcus and Lance go missing during a family camping trip, leading to a frantic search.
The Investigation Begins. Police begin searching for Marcus and Lance after their families report them missing.
The Ruthless Attack. A sudden and brutal assault leaves three campers dead, marking a chilling crime scene.
The Killer on the Loose. As fear spreads, locals are warned to stay vigilant against a mysterious gunman.
The Standoff Begins. Police engage in a tense standoff with the gunman, who opens fire on them.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

It's easy to leave yourself vulnerable.

Warning about the dangers of the remote area.

6:22WatchNov 20, 2018

Tension

85/ 100High tension

More from Casefile

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.