Man who killed British backpacker dies from throat cancer

(MENAFN) Bradley Murdoch, the Australian man who murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, has died from throat cancer.

Murdoch, 67, was serving a life sentence at a prison in Alice Springs, in Australia's Northern Territory.

He died in the local hospital's palliative care unit, on 15 July, a day after the 24th anniversary of the killing, the Department of Corrections told a news agency.

In a statement, the Northern Territory Police Force said: "It is deeply regrettable that Murdoch has died without, as far as we are aware, ever disclosing the location of Peter Falconio's remains."

Murdoch's death will be subject to investigation by the territory's coroner, officials added.

In 2005, Murdoch was convicted of murdering Mr Falconio but had never revealed the location of his body.

Peter Falconio was shot dead on a remote stretch of highway near the Northern Territory town of Barrow Creek, about 300km (186 miles) north of Alice Springs in July 2001.

The 28-year-old and his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, who were both from Yorkshire, were travelling around Australia at the time of his murder.

Murdoch pulled up beside Mr Falconio's vehicle, claiming to have seen sparks coming from the camper van he was driving.

He shot Mr Falconio in the head as he inspected the vehicle, before taking 28-year-old Ms Lees, into his car and binding her wrists with cable ties.

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