Falconio murder suspect in court
A mechanic suspected of murdering British tourist Peter Falconio appeared briefly before magistrates today ahead of his likely transfer to northern Australia.
The 45-year-old man was arrested yesterday, just hours after being cleared of rape and abduction charges unrelated to Mr Falconio’s killing more than two years ago.
In papers presented to Adelaide Magistrates’ Court, police in the northern port of Darwin said they wanted to extradite him to their city where he will be charged with murdering Mr Falconio and attempting to abduct his girlfriend, Joanne Lees.
Today’s brief hearing was adjourned until Thursday after prosecutor Fred Wojtasik said authorities from the Northern Territory had not yet arrived in Adelaide.
The man's lawyer, Grant Algie, told the court he was investigating the circumstances of his client’s arrest.
“There’s a few matters regarding the legality of the (arrest) warrant that I need to consider,” Mr Algie said. He did not elaborate, but a challenge to the warrant could delay his transfer.
Police want to charge the man with the murder of Mr Falconio at or near Barrow Creek, north of the central city of Alice Springs, on July 14, 2001, court documents said.
They also want to charge him with abducting and assaulting Ms Lees and threatening her with a gun.
A gunman flagged down the camper van the couple were travelling in before apparently shooting Mr Falconio and tying up Ms Lees. She managed to escape and alert authorities.
Mr Falconio’s body has never been found despite searches by police and Aboriginal trackers in the desert of central Australia.
