**British Backpacker Peter Falconio’s Murderer, Bradley Murdoch, Dies in Custody**
In a startling development, Bradley Murdoch, the man convicted of the horrific murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, has died from terminal throat cancer. This tragic news comes as Murdoch spent his final days serving a life sentence at a prison located in Alice Springs, Australia, specifically within the Northern Territory. As reported by the Northern Territory Department of Corrections, Murdoch passed away on July 15, 2025, in the Alice Springs Hospital’s palliative care unit, just one day after the somber 24th anniversary of Falconio’s murder.
Murdoch, 67, had been incarcerated since his conviction in 2005 for the killing of Falconio, a Yorkshire native, who was tragically shot dead on a remote stretch of highway near the town of Barrow Creek in July 2001. The incident occurred approximately 300 kilometers, or 186 miles, north of Alice Springs during a road trip with his girlfriend, Joanne Lees.
**Details of the Crime and Legal Proceedings**
The horrifying details surrounding Falconio’s murder are deeply unsettling. On the fateful night, Murdoch approached Falconio’s vehicle under the pretense of offering assistance, allegedly claiming to have seen sparks coming from their camper van. However, as Falconio inspected the vehicle, Murdoch shot him in the head. Subsequently, he kidnapped Lees, binding her wrists with cable ties.
In a truly harrowing turn of events, Lees escaped by hiding in the outback scrub for several hours before signaling for help. Despite his conviction and custodial sentence, Murdoch never disclosed the whereabouts of Falconio’s remains, an act described by the Northern Territory Police Force as leaving a familial scar on Falconio’s loved ones. The police emphasized the ongoing need for closure, releasing a statement expressing the tragedy of Murdoch’s death without revealing the location of Falconio’s remains.
Murdoch was 43 years old at the time of the murder, and the case drew widespread attention, partly inspiring the 2001 horror film “Wolf Creek.” Over the years, Murdoch maintained his innocence and made two unsuccessful attempts to overturn his convictions.
**Investigations and the Quest for Closure**
With Murdoch’s passing, the Northern Territory Coroner will conduct an investigation into his death. This move aligns with the lingering questions that remain about Falconio’s body and the unresolved pain faced by his family. In 2016, Northern Territory officials implemented “no body, no parole” laws, suggesting that Murdoch would not have been eligible for parole without revealing the location of Falconio’s remains by the year 2032.
In a recent interview featured in the NT News, Peter Falconio’s father, Luciano Falconio, expressed his profound grief. He lamented, “I wish I could find him and make an end to it, bury him,” underscoring the emotional toll this tragedy has inflicted on the family. Luciano, who expressed doubts regarding Murdoch’s silence, noted, “I know what happened but I don’t know where he is.”
The authorities continue to express their commitment to resolving this painful chapter. Acting Commander Mark Grieve of the Northern Territory Police confirmed that they had made multiple attempts to garner information from Murdoch regarding the whereabouts of Falconio’s remains, but he consistently chose not to engage.
**Conclusion**
In summary, Bradley Murdoch’s death marks a somber moment in a case that has haunted the Falconio family and captured the attention of the public for over two decades. While Murdoch’s passing may bring some measure of closure to the legal proceedings, it leaves the fundamental question of Peter Falconio’s remains unanswered. The Northern Territory Police reaffirm their dedication to uncovering this final piece of the investigation. Meanwhile, a reward of up to A$500,000 (£240,000) remains available for any credible information that might lead to the discovery of the vanished backpacker’s remains.
