Police are launching a fresh public appeal for information, releasing a new digital facial image created from DNA technology to help identify a man whose deceased body was discovered near Nambour 12 years ago.
The man, believed to be aged between 45 and 65, was located deceased near the eastern spillway of the Poona Dam near Nambour by a workman on September 9 2008. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Police believe the man may have been at the location for a few days, however extensive enquiries have failed to identify him.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Missing Persons Unit within the Homicide Group have engaged external forensic specialists to identify the likely ancestry of the man and facial characteristics through a technique called DNA phenotyping with the hopes of uncovering new leads.
The results indicate the man may have New Zealand ancestry, along with facial feature variations from an earlier facial composite, notably that he likely had green/hazel eyes.
The man is described as being of a solid build, approximately 185cm tall, balding with grey hair and having an appendix scar and four tattoos. The tattoos are of a shark and eagle on his left shoulder as well as on his right shoulder, a woman with an American Indian headdress and what appears to be a warrior or gnome figure.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Dario Goriup of the Missing Persons Unit said while the technology is helping investigators consider new lines of enquiry, information from the public is vital to solving this case.
“While we are keeping an open mind, current information indicates this man may have close family connections to the North Island of New Zealand, specifically the Tauranga, Bay of Plenty area,” Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Goriup said.
“We would ask members of the public who are missing a loved one or perhaps have not spoken to a family member or friend since September 2008 to consider this information, take a good look at this image and if there is a resemblance, please contact police.
“All it could take is one person who recognises the image or details to come forward and this could help us identify this man and find an answer to this 12-year mystery.”
The man was located wearing a red ‘Bauhaus’ baseball cap, long sleeved ‘Duchamp’ brand black shirt, ‘Aus sport’ grey tracksuit pants, white orange and grey ‘Fila’ ankle socks and a pair of ‘Cougar’ white, navy, silver and orange sandshoes. A brown leather ‘Fox’ satchel was discovered next to his body.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
Digital image created through DNA phenotyping
Previously released facial comfits, shark tattoo (left shoulder)
L to R: a satchel found next to his body, the man’s tattoos including an eagle (left shoulder), a woman with Indian headdress and a gnome or warrior (both right shoulder).
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
