Australia Australia - Simone Strobel, 25, Lismore, NSW, 11 Feb 2005

[FONT=&quot]There was CCTV footage of Simone leaving the Gollan Hotel about 11.30pm on Friday, February 11, 2005.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]The four Germans then returned to the caravan park and Tobias claims that Simone then went for a walk on her own, wearing no shoes, with no money, ID or phone.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A search failed to find anything in the days following. A police dog later found a decomposing body about 90 metres from where Simone had been camping.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No definite cause of death has ever been established, but a coroner's report in 2007 found it was most likely she died of suffocation or smothering asphyxia, possibly from a pillow or plastic bag.

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Nine years have passed since the body of German backpacker Simone Strobel was found, apparently suffocated and hidden on a sports ground near her campsite in northern NSW.
The 25-year-old's parents in Germany remain haunted by so many unanswered questions about the night of her disappearance in Lismore, on February 11, 2005

Killed on her dream holiday: Simone Strobel. Photo: Supplied Who would want to kill their daughter, a kindergarten teacher who worked with children with a disability, and who was on a one-year holiday of a lifetime with her German boyfriend?
And what exactly happened to her in the hours after she and her boyfriend, Tobias Suckfuell, and two other companions returned to the Lismore Tourist Caravan Park after a night out drinking at a local pub?

Tobias Suckfuell: an inquest heard there was a "strong suspicion" Simone's boyfriend was involved in her death. Photo: Anthony Johnson "The answer to that would be extremely important for us," Ms Strobel's father Gustl Strobel told German newspaper Main Post in his home town of Wurzburg this week.
"Then we could finally say goodbye. Whether and how someone is punished for us is not so important - but we need to know what happened. "
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On the ninth anniversary of her disappearance this week, police in Germany have offered a 10,000 euro ($15,090) reward for information leading to the resolution of the case.
They are hoping that someone in Australia or Germany has information that finally will lead to an arrest and conviction.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Mackie, from Casino police, said Ms Strobel and her boyfriend arrived in Australia on August 3, 2004.
The couple, who had been together for six years, planned to travel around the country on a one-year working visa, and had stopped in Lismore less than 24 hours before Ms Strobel vanished.
Mr Suckfuell's sister Katrin and another friend, Jens Martin, had joined the couple a few weeks before they arrived in Lismore, and were with them at the pub on the night Ms Strobel disappeared.
"On February 11, 2005, they checked in at the tourist caravan park in Lismore, NSW and spent the evening together at a pub in downtown Lismore and afterwards returned with friends to the campsite," Senior Sergeant Mackie said.
“From there Simone disappeared. Her body was found on a sports ground near the campsite on February 17, 2005."
Ms Strobel's body was badly decomposed, naked, and covered with palm fonds at the sports ground about 90 metres from their campsite.
While no definite cause of death could be established, a coroner in 2007 found it was most likely she died of suffocation or smothering asphyxia.
The inquest heard that the group had gone to the hotel, where Ms Strobel was reduced to tears after arguing with Mr Suckfuell. Another row followed at the campsite, witnesses said, after which Ms Strobel stormed off.
By June 2005 the Suckfuells had stopped cooperating with both Australian and German authorities, exercising their right to silence.
The inquest heard that the friend with them on the night, Jens Martin, became suspicious after Ms Strobel's body was found, and began to question Mr Suckfuell's insistence they maintain a uniform story about what happened that night.
Mr Martin accepted an invitation to attend the inquest, where he told Deputy NSW Coroner Paul MacMahon that Mr Suckfuell ordered him to lie to the police about the fact he and Ms Strobel had been arguing bitterly.
During that inquest, Mr MacMahon said he had a "very strong suspicion" that at least Tobias and perhaps Katrin Suckfuell were involved in the smothering or suffocation murder of Ms Strobel.
A piece of forensic material at the site where her body was found also supported the suggestion Mr Suckfuell had been present.
"Unfortunately at this stage current technology is not sufficiently advanced to confirm that suggestion," the coroner said.
He found there was insufficient evidence to recommend charges.
NSW Police and the Prosecutor's Office in Wurzburg, Germany both opened homicide cases into Ms Strobel's death.
Senior Sergeant Mackie said the reward was payable to residents both in Germany and Australia.
"It might be a financial incentive for potential witnesses to provide the police with their knowledge not revealed so far,” he said.
Anyone with information has been urged to contact Wurzburg Criminal Police in Germany on 0931/457-1732, or any other police station in Germany or Australia.

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Tim Clarke, Legal Affairs EditorFriday, 26 May 2017 12:30AM[FONT=&quot]

Toby Suckfuell, now Moran, and Simone Strobel. Picture: Seven NewsPicture: Picture: Seven NewsA German backpacker who a judge said was an “inevitable” suspect in the killing of his girlfriend in NSW in 2005 has settled a defamation suit against an author who he believed had imputed he had killed her — opening the way for police to examine documents that could hold the key to the murder.
Toby Suckfuell, now known as Toby Moran after taking his wife’s surname, left Australia soon after Simone Strobel’s body was found near a Lismore caravan park and refused to return to testify at a 2007 coronial inquest into the 25-year-old’s murder.
But more than 10 years on, he is living at a City Beach property with his now wife, and has been battling for years to bring a defamation suit against author Virginia Peters and Schwartz Publishing, who produced an investigative book into the case entitled Have You Seen Simone?
Released in 2014, the book examines the circumstances surrounding Ms Strobel’s death.
Mr Moran brought an attempted injunction preventing its release three years ago, but in his reasons for rejecting it, WA Supreme Court judge Justice Kenneth Martin said while there was no definitive proof of Mr Moran’s alleged guilt, the facts of the case made it “inevitable” he should be a suspect.

Judge Kenneth Martin.Yesterday, in the Supreme Court, Mr Moran and lawyers for Ms Peters came to a confidential agreement to end the action, meaning a hearing which could have examined Mr Moran’s alleged culpability was avoided.
However, NSW Police will now have scope to pursue the inspection of documents seized from Mr Moran in raids in Perth in February — including so-called “100 page documents”, correspondence between Mr Moran and his now wife believed to refer to events surrounding Ms Strobel’s disappearance on February 11, 2005.
With the ending of the action, NSW detectives could now have recourse to inspect them, as they continue to investigate Ms Strobel’s death — with Judge Martin telling Mr Moran yesterday what he did with documents he had created was up to him.
Mr Moran was also ordered to pay $120,000 towards Ms Peters’ legal costs.

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[FONT=&amp]This is the 37-year-old Perth man who NSW police have long suspected was involved in the murder of his girlfriend Simone Strobel at a Lismore caravan park 12 years ago.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]At the time of the mysterious death, he was a German backpacker known as Tobias Suckfuell, with no assets and a dwindling bank account.

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Today, he goes by the name Toby Moran and lives in one of Perth’s wealthiest beachfront suburb*s with his wife and their baby.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&amp]Toby and Samantha live in a million-dollar house in City Beach that is owned by one of John Moran’s private companies. It’s a brief stroll to the beach — where Toby can indulge his love of surfing — and to upmarket restaurants overlooking the Indian Ocean.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&amp]He refused requests to appear at the 2007 inquest that heard he and Strobel had been arguing at their campsite before she disappeared.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&amp]Police investigators told the 2007 inquest that they believed Mr Moran had murdered Strobel by suffocating her and that his sister Katrin, who was travelling with them, may have helped to drag the body from the scene.

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]A friend who was also part of the group, Jens Martin, told the inquest Mr Moran had ordered him to lie to police about the fact he and Strobel had been arguing before she went missing.[/FONT]

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Cold case breakthrough in killing of a 25-year-old kindergarten teacher whose naked body was found while backpacking around Australia 17 years ago - as her boyfriend, 42, is arrested​

Boyfriend of dead backpacker arrested 17 years after body was found

Man arrested in cold case murder of 25-year-old German backpacker Simone Strobel. Her body was found near a Lismore caravan park in 2005.

www.dailymail.co.uk

gregjrichards said:

Cold case breakthrough in killing of a 25-year-old kindergarten teacher whose naked body was found while backpacking around Australia 17 years ago - as her boyfriend, 42, is arrested​

“The boyfriend of German backpacker, 25-year-old kindergarten teacher Simone Strobel, whose body was found near a Lismore caravan park in 2005, will be extradited to NSW from Western Australia.

Tobias Friedrich Moran, formerly known as Tobias Suckfuell, had been travelling around Australia with Ms Strobel when her body was found near a Lismore caravan park in 2005. She had been suffocated with a pillow or plastic bag.”

Boyfriend of dead backpacker arrested 17 years after body was found

Man arrested in cold case murder of 25-year-old German backpacker Simone Strobel. Her body was found near a Lismore caravan park in 2005.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I‘m really glad that an arrest has been made after Simone’s loved ones have waited so long.

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What does a shocking crime do to a small community? This NSW town knows all too well

For 17 years, the community of Lismore has grieved the death of a 25-year-old German backpacker many had never met.

www.abc.net.au

Lismore remembers German backpacker Simone Strobel following man's arrest​

TootsieFootsie said:

Twist in Simone Strobel case as police hunt two more German suspects

Simone Strobel, 25, went missing near a Lismore caravan park before her decomposing body was found six days later.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Two more suspects are being pursued over the alleged 2005 killing of German backpacker Simone Strobel, after her surfer boyfriend was charged with her murder on Tuesday.

Detectives said they are working with German police to find two further unnamed suspects, who they will allege helped Moran cover up the killing.

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Melt71 said:

Oh wow so that seems to indicate that all 3 of the Germans who went out with Simone before she disappeared are being charged, not just the boyfriend. That would be the boyfriend + his sister Katrin + friend Jens.

I wonder if more modern DNA testing was carried out on the evidence.

Police did tell the inquest into Simone’s death that they believed Katrin was also involved in some way but at that time it couldn’t be proven.

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imstilla.grandma said:

The father of murdered backpacker Simone Strobel has told The West Australian of his hope for ‘the truth’, as it’s revealed the police also want to speak to the sister of the accused.

Dad of murdered backpacker’s heartbreaking plea for truth

The father of murdered backpacker Simone Strobel has told The West Australian of his hope for ‘the truth’, as it's revealed the police also want to speak to the sister of the accused.

thewest.com.au

The boyfriend of slain German backpacker Simone Strobel will apply for bail next week from jail after he was extradited from Western Australia to face a murder charge in Sydney.

Tobias Friedrich Moran did not appear via AVL in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday when his case was mentioned.
His lawyer Vivian Evans asked the magistrate to keep the bail application in Sydney due to "relevant parties flying from Perth" and the logistical issues with hearing the matter in Lismore - where it will end up.

Superintendent Scott Tanner from NSW Police also revealed detectives have been in contact with German authorities about two further arrest warrants for persons of interest in Germany.

Police intend to charge the pair with being an accessory after the fact to murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Evans said she was still working with the public prosecutor on what Moran's bail conditions might look like if granted.

Man charged over partner's 2005 death to stay behind bars for now

A man has been charged with the murder of German backpacker Simone Strobel more than 15 years ago.

www.9news.com.au

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