Murder In The Outback: The Falconio and Lees Mystery

On July 14th, 2001, British Backpackers, Peter Falconio & Joanne Lees are attacked as they drive through the night on a remote highway in the Australian outback. Falconio is missing presumed dead and Lees escapes into the scrub. She is later rescued by a passing truckdriver.

One of the key aspects of the case against Bradley Murdoch was the account from the only eye witness to the attack, Joanne Lees. She came under immense pressure right from start as the UK and Australian media hounded her for an interview.

In any murder trial, establishing the identity of the killer is crucial. Is the accused, definitely the one who committed the crime? Bradley Murdoch was found guilty of killing Peter Falconio, but debate remains about whether he was correctly identified. Did the police get the right man?

The crime scene of the Peter Falconio murder had very little physical evidence. No body, no gunshot residue, no bone fragments, and a small pool of Falconio's blood. But DNA found on Joanne Lees' shirt and in her Kombi van would be decisive in the murder trial of Bradley Murdoch.