Australia - Josh Warneke, 21, beaten to death, Broome, WA, 26 Feb 2010

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Five police officers - including senior investigators - have been suspended from duty and another four face disciplinary action, a year on from the trial of the man charged with the 2010 murder of Josh Warneke.

Josh died from massive head injuries after a night out in Broome, WA in 2010, but at the trial of 23-year -old Gene Gibson for his murder, the reliability of police interviews were thrown into doubt.

It was revealed in court that police had not followed due process in conducting the interviews, including failing to appropriately caution Gibson, who lived in the remote Aboriginal community of Kiwirrkurra in the Gibson Desert, not offering an interpreter despite the suspect's "limited English" and by failing to record the interview from the outset.

The murder charge was subsequently dropped and Gibson pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Warneke's mother has expressed her disbelief that her son's killer is likely to serve only around five years in prison.

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/t...der-investigation-fiasco-20150530-ghd3vx.html
 
http://www.news.com.au/national/wes...n/news-story/357c54e1ad14439f5a0022fcb3c605df

Lawyers representing an illiterate Aboriginal man jailed for killing Josh Warneke have lodged an appeal against his manslaughter conviction...

A series of flawed police interviews more than two years after the attack forced prosecutors to drop a murder charge and accept Gibson’s guilty plea to manslaughter.

Advocates for Gibson, who is from the remote desert community of Kiwirrkurra, continue to claim he was wrongfully convicted because he never understood what was happening.
 
Josh Warneke: Police chase new lead in cold case Broome murder
ABC News
GRAEME POWELL
UPDATED 55 MINUTES AGO
(as at 12:56 AEST 22 September 2017)

attachment.php

PHOTO Police said the vehicle had a "Bundy" novelty licence plate.
SUPPLIED: WA POLICE


‘Police from the Cold Case Homicide squad are chasing a fresh lead into the murder of Josh Warneke on the outskirts of Broome more than seven years ago.

They want to find the owner of a white Toyota '79 series Land Cruiser tray top ute that was seen not far from where Mr Warneke's body was found in February 2010.

Police say the vehicle had a "Bundy" novelty number plate and car flag poles on either side of the frame behind the cab.Acting Detective

Superintendent Pete Branchi from the Special Crime Division said the Land Cruiser drove along Short Street into Old Broome Road around the time of the 21-year-olds' death in the early hours of February 26.

“Despite all the publicity about this case since 2010, the driver of the Land Cruiser has never come forward, " he said.

“We are appealing for public assistance to identify the vehicle, its driver and any other occupants."’


Read more at:

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-22/josh-warneke-murder-investigation-ute-lead/8973976
 
"Detective Branchi said he believed there were people in the community who knew what happened to Mr Warneke that evening.

"Given the passage of time, the changes in allegiances and relationships, WA Police urges those people to come forward," he said.

"They may have felt scared or intimidated in the past, or may have strong, albeit misguided loyalty to the person, or persons guilty of this crime.

"We ask those people to reconsider their position."


http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...der-case-reopened-after-gibson-appeal/8673266
 
Josh Warneke – Aged 21 – Feb 2010 - Murdered in Broome WA

Regretabbly Josh’s killer has never been found. During the early hours of 26 February 2010, Josh was found dead on the side of a deserted road in Broome – near the town’s Visitor Centre.

Josh had suffered massive head injuries whilst walking home after a night out with friends. https://www.google.com.au/maps/plac...4796c44054cbd!8m2!3d-17.9533579!4d122.2415225 (map shows approximate vicinity only)

Josh was an apprentice carpenter described as such a fun, beautiful and happy guy. A few days prior to his murder he’d been in a car accident and despite his spinal injury was given a clean bill of health. https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...e1a3bc89b492/1378732362665/Tim+Warneke+p5.pdf

The police seek the driver of a white Toyota '79 series Land Cruiser tray top ute which was seen not far from where Josh’s body was found. http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-22/josh-warneke-murder-investigation-ute-lead/8973976

In Broome during February 2010, people were emerging from the outlying communities for protests regarding the intended Woodside Gas Plant agreement. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-09/woodside-says-james-price-point-the-best-site/325698 ABC.news

Initially Mr Gene Gibson was charged with Josh’s crime but later released after a unanimous decision by the Court of Appeal. Mr Gibson is a Pintupi man, from Kiwirrkurra. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...anslaughter-conviction-quashed-appeal/8436550

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-03/josh-warneke-broome-murder-case-reopened-after-gibson-appeal/8673266
 
Police said the white ute had a bundy novelty number plate.

Janwa is your son aware if this vehicle or the bundy number plate was published at the time the murder happened.

Something with a novelty plate like bundy was should have been noticed in a small place like Broome if the information was published IMO.
 
Josh Warneke – Aged 21 – Feb 2010 - Murdered in Broome WA

Regretabbly Josh’s killer has never been found. During the early hours of 26 February 2010, Josh was found dead on the side of a deserted road in Broome – near the town’s Visitor Centre.

Josh had suffered massive head injuries whilst walking home after a night out with friends. https://www.google.com.au/maps/plac...4796c44054cbd!8m2!3d-17.9533579!4d122.2415225 (map shows approximate vicinity only)

Josh was an apprentice carpenter described as such a fun, beautiful and happy guy. A few days prior to his murder he’d been in a car accident and despite his spinal injury was given a clean bill of health. https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...e1a3bc89b492/1378732362665/Tim+Warneke+p5.pdf

The police seek the driver of a white Toyota '79 series Land Cruiser tray top ute which was seen not far from where Josh’s body was found. http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-22/josh-warneke-murder-investigation-ute-lead/8973976

In Broome during February 2010, people were emerging from the outlying communities for protests regarding the intended Woodside Gas Plant agreement. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-09/woodside-says-james-price-point-the-best-site/325698 ABC.news

Initially Mr Gene Gibson was charged with Josh’s crime but later released after a unanimous decision by the Court of Appeal. Mr Gibson is a Pintupi man, from Kiwirrkurra. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...anslaughter-conviction-quashed-appeal/8436550

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-03/josh-warneke-broome-murder-case-reopened-after-gibson-appeal/8673266

I wonder if Josh’s death may have been due to a hit-and-run?
 
Why did the police arrest Gene Gibson in the first place. How was he connected to Josh? MOO
 
Why did the police arrest Gene Gibson in the first place. How was he connected to Josh? MOO

‘Operation Aviemore was formed by the WA Police major crime squad to investigate Warneke’s death. It suffered dead ends and vague accounts of different coloured stolen cars, drunk passengers and dobbing fellow drinkers who implicated Gibson as the driver of a car that had driven past Warneke’s prone body on the roadside that night.’

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...n/news-story/6ea8c503fadce99928092b73120a95b5
 
‘Operation Aviemore was formed by the WA Police major crime squad to investigate Warneke’s death. It suffered dead ends and vague accounts of different coloured stolen cars, drunk passengers and dobbing fellow drinkers who implicated Gibson as the driver of a car that had driven past Warneke’s prone body on the roadside that night.’

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...n/news-story/6ea8c503fadce99928092b73120a95b5

Thanks heaps Bohemian. Poor Gene Gibson. What a mess the police made of it all. Sounds like it was a crazy night with lots of people drinking. MOO
 
Police said the white ute had a bundy novelty number plate.

Janwa is your son aware if this vehicle or the bundy number plate was published at the time the murder happened.

Something with a novelty plate like bundy was should have been noticed in a small place like Broome if the information was published IMO.

BBM.Something like this:

https://www.google.com.au/search?bi...Cw&q=“bundy”+novelty+number+plate

You would think someone would know who had a plate like that, especially if it was ‘customised’. Also, are ‘advised’ before purchase that attaching them to a vehicle can draw ‘unwanted attention’ from police.
 
Thanks heaps Bohemian. Poor Gene Gibson. What a mess the police made of it all. Sounds like it was a crazy night with lots of people drinking. MOO

Like the police officer said, it was a mess and it ended up with Gene copping jail time. Cars and drink are a lethal mix, whether driver or pedestrian. One of my friends was killed crossing the street after he had been drinking heavily.
 
Police said the white ute had a bundy novelty number plate.
Janwa is your son aware if this vehicle or the bundy number plate was published at the time the murder happened.
Something with a novelty plate like bundy was should have been noticed in a small place like Broome if the information was published IMO.

It may have been found and eliminated. I would expect that memos went to all licensing offices around Australia asking for car details, names and addresses of anyone acquiring a Bundy plate. With so many extra out of town people rounded up and brought to Broome it would be hard to I.D. everyone. There had been an accident and my son's worker had been hurt and an ambulance called and whilst he was dealing with him Josh walked off to get a burger. You could only get a burger through the drive through and I think someone ordered one for him then he set of walking to where he lived.
 

Hi CV,
So about the number plates ... police describe them as 'novelty plates' ... does this mean they were the off-the-shelf plates you'd buy from a shop, or (what I would call) 'personalized plates' that are official, legal plates?

1. I would think the former, but I've never seen anyone actually put those type of plates on a car. More often hung in a bar or teenager's bedroom wall etc! If they WERE put on a car, where could they go? Surely you wouldn't put them on in place of the official plates, that's inviting trouble!

2. If they were official but personalized plates, there was a car with plates that had some reference to Bundy (I won't write exactly what because it may be too identifying) in Derby. On a different model car I'm pretty sure. But police would have explored that wouldn't they? I mean, the first thing they'd do is search registration records for anything similar in the area right?

When police released the info about the plates it just seemed odd to me
 
Hi CV,
So about the number plates ... police describe them as 'novelty plates' ... does this mean they were the off-the-shelf plates you'd buy from a shop, or (what I would call) 'personalized plates' that are official, legal plates?

1. I would think the former, but I've never seen anyone actually put those type of plates on a car. More often hung in a bar or teenager's bedroom wall etc! If they WERE put on a car, where could they go? Surely you wouldn't put them on in place of the official plates, that's inviting trouble!

2. If they were official but personalized plates, there was a car with plates that had some reference to Bundy (I won't write exactly what because it may be too identifying) in Derby. On a different model car I'm pretty sure. But police would have explored that wouldn't they? I mean, the first thing they'd do is search registration records for anything similar in the area right?

When police released the info about the plates it just seemed odd to me

Apologies I posted this before I realised it was discussed earlier today. My question stands though - are the police talking about official personalized plates (doubtful - these should be traceable) or store-bought plates (in which case, is it usual to put these on a vehicle? Where?)
 
"They want to find the owner of a white Toyota '79 series Land Cruiser tray top ute that was seen not far from where Mr Warneke's body was found in February 2010.

Police say the vehicle had a "Bundy" novelty number plate and car flag poles on either side of the frame behind the cab.

Acting Detective Superintendent Pete Branchi from the Special Crime Division said the Land Cruiser drove along Short Street into Old Broome Road around the time of the 21-year-olds' death in the early hours of February 26.

"Despite all the publicity about this case since 2010, the driver of the Land Cruiser has never come forward, " he said.

"We are appealing for public assistance to identify the vehicle, its driver and any other occupants."

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...er-investigation-ute-lead/8973976?pfmredir=sm
 
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-22/josh-warneke-murder-investigation-ute-lead/8973976

Seems like it could be someone from out of town. They see a man walking alone on a roadway and decide to stop and beat him up. Maybe thought he was someone else they had been arguing with earlier. It doesn't seem like Josh had caused any fights with anyone. He bought a burger and walked towards home. Not provoking anyone or asking for trouble. The white Toyota '79 land cruiser with the novelty plates was seen to stop near Josh. Obviously there was something in that. Can't understand why the owner of the Toyota wasn't found. Perhaps the police didn't get the information on the ute until recently. That would give the owner of the ute time to dispose of it. MOO
 

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