Australia news live: NT police still seek answers over 25 year-old murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio

Northern Territory Police have opened evidence boxes to uncover several previously unseen photographs from the investigation of the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and attempted abduction of his girlfriend Joanne Lees. Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the infamous outback disappearance. Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of the 28-year-old’s murder, but he died on July 15, 2025 without ever admitting to what he had done or disclosing the location of Falconio’s remains. The photographs show a stunned looking Ms Lees in the hours after her encounter with Murdoch on a remote part of the Stuart Highway on the fateful evening of July 14, 2001. Another shows Murdoch as photographed by police, staring back at the camera. Despite Murdoch being convicted and sentenced to life, the investigation into Mr Falconio’s murder would stay open until his remains were found, NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole said. A reward of $500,000 remains on offer for information leading directly to the discovery of Falconio’s remains. “No piece of information is too small; what may seem insignificant could prove critical in helping investigators finally resolve this case,” Dole said.