Deceased/Not Found AUSTRALIA - Ms Lesley Trotter, 78, Homicide, Brisbane, 28 Mar 2023

[neighbour4462]

Neighbour, it looks like Lesley's unit block only had 2 recycling bins, yet there were 6 units? Is that usual for unit blocks in Queensland, to share the recycling bins?

yes, Marg944, it is quite normal. Our complex has four now, which is unusual, as I ordered two more from the council because our family uses almost one bin per fortnight.

 

[FromGermany1]

It certainly would keep council fees down to only have 2 recycling bins for 6 units. I think each property in Australia can request what bins they need. Some people opt for extra bins depending on how much rubbish they have. Maybe Lesley was sorting the recycling so well they only required 2?
Police said she was in a general waste bin.

This general waste bin must have been nearly empty, otherwise LT wouldn't have fit in. How can a bin be empty like that, when it is just collection day and there are only 2 bins for 6 units?

ETA: Oh, now I see #727 by "nightrider", who said it already. I'm reading from newest to old posts always.
Okay, if the bin was from an empty unit from another house, then I think, it was possible to have an empty bin.

Btw, I once tried to dispose of books*, throwing them from the 1. etage into a blue (paper) bin outside on the parking lot. I had to aim verrry precise to hit the bin, and it was verrry noisy. I can't imagine to (successfully) throw something very big and very heavy into a bin like that. I think, at least the wheels of the bin would be damaged by so much kg, falling from above.

* In case, someone feels outraged about the book disposal: they were filled with smoke.

 

[LacieL]

This general waste bin must have been nearly empty, otherwise LT wouldn't have fit in. How can a bin be empty like that, when it is just collection day and there are only 2 bins for 6 units?

I believe the complex had two recycling bins but more general waste bins.

I recall when I lived in an apartment with communal bins that people tended to fill one bin after another and not place rubbish into an empty bin unless all the others were full. Sometimes one or more bins were still empty on collection day.

Searching around for an empty bin in the early hours of the morning would be noisy. Being bin day maybe no one would think those sounds unusual enough to investigate but I think someone would have heard them and been able to tell the police about it if it happened. Bins are loud. Moving an empty bin especially so.

 

[musicaljoke]

* In case, someone feels outraged about the book disposal: they were filled with smoke.

Neh, I just figured they were written by Canadian authors.

j/k

 

[SouthAussie]

For LT to fall into a bin - general waste - it must not have been very full to begin with. I was wondering if the bin did come from no.58? the previously sold unit? which may have been empty and - not missed so to speak? MOO

I wonder if someone did fall in a bin if they still could get out. If they could get the bin rocking so it tips.
Seems to me that the bins fall over easily enough when they are put down by the fork on the truck, and sometimes even in high winds.

Lesley may not have been young anymore, but she has been described as athletic. And she was likely quite fit considering her point in life. Went to the gym, went for hikes, climbed a few flights of stairs going up to her unit and down from it.

And I think she for sure would have been capable of yelling out repeatedly, if she fell into a bin. To attract some attention.


"Trotter is described as Caucasian in appearance and is approximately 162cm tall with an athletic build, short blonde hair and blue eyes."

‘Serious concerns’ for woman who vanished more than a week ago

Lesley Trotter last spoke to her family on Monday, March 27.

7news.com.au

 

[stacey_victoria]

Just to add some insight... We have about 6 of each bin (not sure exactly as I've never counted lol I'm just guesstimating) for about 32 apartments in my complex. Both sets of bins are put out every week. But we are in VIC. We take our rubbish out pretty late the night before the bins go out because 1) don't want any of the bad fridge stuff to stink up the house and 2) some of my neighbours can't read the signs about what to put in the bins and I have at times moved some of the trash between bins myself. People commonly don't compact boxes for recycling or put pizza boxes filled with food in there etc. I don't rummage but I do move what's accessible. We have a communal area in the downstairs garage. I am so not keen to go there especially now!!!

 

[musicaljoke]

Things seem to be moving slowly. I had hoped that Leslie's body would be found by now, but I know it can take weeks. Praying for peace and patience for all who are working on resolving this case.

 

[mussopossum]

Even other tenants living in small units likely wouldn’t produce rubbish that quickly though either?
To be checking what other tenants bins have in them twice daily is very committed to the cause. I wonder if LT had a touch of OCD?

She might also have found things in the bins previously such as drugs or something concerning or illegal and was checking them more often than usual. Has it been mentioned anywhere that she might of been collecting cans for cash or anything like that?

 

[mussopossum]

Haha I'm naughty because I knew some of our members outside of Australia might not know

Op shopping is buying from charity shops which were called Opportunity Shops. Op shops became the generic term.

I spend most of my time in Op shops buying vintage and retro household stuff. Its become a huge thing now in NSW and QLD, especially with people preferring to buy older stuff due to it generally being better made back in the days and more hardy.

 

[Plover99]

This has just come out.

Aerial drone mapping indicates 12.7 per cent of the rubbish that was quarantined has been searched," police said on Thursday.
Police were confident the quarantined rubbish they were searching is from the vicinity of Ms Trotter's home, saying they had located paperwork belonging to a resident in a nearby street, "which indicates search efforts are concentrated in the right area".

Tip search for retired teacher to go on for weeks

Delays have slowed the search for missing woman Lesley Trotter's body, which is now in its seventh day but will go on for weeks, police say.

www.perthnow.com.au

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Tip search for retired teacher to go on for weeks

Delays have slowed the search for missing woman Lesley Trotter's body, which is now in its seventh day but will go on for weeks, police say.

www.perthnow.com.au

Search to go on for weeks
The search started on April 18 and was temporarily halted due to wet weather and high winds this week.
A 10th of rubbish quarantined searched
Paperwork from resident in nearby street found indicates search is in right area
Investigators continued to run extensive enquiries in relation to Ms Trotter's death.

 

[Plover99]

Channel 7 report says they have searched over one eighth of the quarantined rubbish.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1651504290568220677

 

[Plover99]

Official Queensland Police Update 27.04.23

Update 5: Missing woman, Toowong - Queensland Police News

The search for missing woman Lesley Trotter’s body has entered its seventh day, with detectives from the Homicide Investigation Unit, Scenes of Crime,

mypolice.qld.gov.au

 

[TootsieFootsie]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/police-continue-search-of-swanbank-waste-management-facility-for-brisbane-woman-lesley-trotter/news-story/13e209006a3084276165874acf999cae?amp

Behind paywall. Here for those who subscribe.

No reported suspects.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

This has just come out.

Oops sorry I didn't realise the link I posted was the same as yours.

 

[Plover99]

Oops sorry I didn't realise the link I posted was the same as yours.

That’s ok. No problem at all.

 

[SLouTh]

Free article here

https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/twist-in-search-for-missing-woman-lesley-trotter-in-queensland-rubbish-dump/news-story/7fb633ffbb314bc4842682661aa4ed5f

 

[SouthAussie]

Official Queensland Police Update 27.04.23

Update 5: Missing woman, Toowong - Queensland Police News

The search for missing woman Lesley Trotter’s body has entered its seventh day, with detectives from the Homicide Investigation Unit, Scenes of Crime,

mypolice.qld.gov.au

The photos in the update are quite overwhelming. Looking at the layers and layers and layers of tightly compressed rubbish. Poor Lesley. It is so very sad.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Residents in a nearby street might be getting a bit worried that mail with their details has been found.
Not that it's anything to do with this case but when you dump something you wouldn't expect anyone to go through it.

I don't know if anyone else is the same but I always cut any identifying details off any mail I get rid of.
I then shred what's left of it and add it to the compost.

That's when I had a strip shredder and I've always been uncomfortable with how readable the shredded paper is, hence the compost.
I now have a cross cut shredder that shreds into tiny squares and I haven't been able to make out any identifiable details.

Still not sure I want to put it out for collection or just stick to my safe compost way

 

[TootsieFootsie]

The photos in the update are quite overwhelming. Looking at the layers and layers and layers of tightly compressed rubbish. Poor Lesley. It is so very sad.

When I look at those photos, it looks like an impossible task