GUILTY Australia - Martin Meffert, 23, Terowie, SA, Feb 2005 *Arrest*

New push to find killers of Martin Meffert, whose remains were found in his cousin's fireplace
ABC News
ABOUT 6 HOURS AGO (as of 03:50 AEST 21 September 2017)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-20/renewed-appealfor-information-over-martin-meffert-death/8965884

'Detectives have door-knocked residents of a township in the mid-north of South Australia as they ramp-up enquiries into the death of a man whose remains were found in a fireplace.

The last sighting of Martin Meffert, 23, was on a bus going from Adelaide to Terowie, south-east of Peterborough, in February 2005.

In October 2013, his partial-skeletal remains were found in a fireplace at a Terowie home owned by his cousin, Christopher Scott.

The 25-year-old was charged with failing to report a death but the charges were dropped the following year.

The officer in charge of SA police's Major Crime unit, Detective Superintendent Des Bray, said on Wednesday there had been a review of the case and new information had come to light.

He said police believed those responsible for Mr Meffert's death were still in the Terowie area.

'Police believe Mr Meffert was murdered sometime shortly after arriving in Terowie, in February 2005," he said.

Detective Superintendent Bray said Mr Meffert was never reported missing, and was on a disability pension which was paid into his bank account.

"Between 2005 and 2013 a significant amount of money — more than $130,000 — was taken from that account, drawn from various ATMs in the mid-north," he said.

"Police are aware of the identity of those who accessed the account."

"There was also an attempt by a man to establish his identity as Martin Meffert at the local post office, for the purpose of continuing to claim Mr Meffert's allowances."

The renewed push to solve the case involved door-knocking, a letter drop and posters being put up in Terowie, with police seeking sufficient evidence against whoever killed Mr Meffert and who stole his money.

They have also said a reward of up to $200,000 is available for anyone providing information that leads to the apprehension and conviction of Mr Meffert's killer.'

Related:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-29/charge-dropped-over-terowie-human-bones/5633012

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-18/atm-withdrawals-might-be-clue-to-terowie-murder/5163260

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-06/murder-probe-after-remains-at-house-identified/5139448

I wonder wonder what Martin suffered from to qualify for Disability Benefits.
And note that he was sick with grief at the time of his disappearance with the death of his mother.
This is so sad and deprived ...

http://www.news.com.au/national/cri...0/news-story/7784790b163777522688d823a4a75451

SICK with grief over the death of his mother, Martin Meffert packed his bag one day in 2004 and set off on a bus journey to Terowie, 220km north of Adelaide.
Mr Meffert had arranged to stay with his aunt and cousins, who lived in the town, while he recovered from his loss.
Within months of starting a new life in this dusty settlement of less than 200 people, the sickly, 23-year-old disability pensioner had been murdered in a Snowtown-style plot to steal his Centrelink payments.
But it would take eight years and what detectives have described as a “bizarre sequence of events” for his death to come to light.
On October 24, 2013, police conducting a routine firearms inquiry raided a home on Packer St and found human bones in a bag inside a box in the fireplace. No attempt had been made to conceal them.

From an article back in 2014:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...e/news-story/3cd13b8e5b8e7a01b29e9c3ef82d8a7e

For some time after his death there was no activity with his account, but in 2006 regular withdrawals commenced. They were made at ATMs located in Terowie and the nearby towns of Peterborough and Jamestown.

symbah said:

From an article back in 2014:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...e/news-story/3cd13b8e5b8e7a01b29e9c3ef82d8a7e

For some time after his death there was no activity with his account, but in 2006 regular withdrawals commenced. They were made at ATMs located in Terowie and the nearby towns of Peterborough and Jamestown.

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What is it about SA that results in murder and Centrelink fraud after their victim’s deaths? This is the third case of this combination of crimes I’ve read about. Snowtown, Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter, Khandalyce and now, Martin.

Looking into the time sequence prior to Martin's disappearance, It seems he was already living in Terowie prior to the final sighting of him in 2005 in Adelaide.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/police-allege-three-people-have-knowledge-about-the-death-of-martin-meffert-in-terowie/news-story/3cd13b8e5b8e7a01b29e9c3ef82d8a7e

But their inquiries have revealed Mr Meffert was last seen alive in February, 2005, when a social worker put him on a bus to travel to Terowie.

Mr Meffert had been living in the town since mid-2004 when he moved there to live with relatives. Prior to that he’d lived in Adelaide at addresses in Kilburn, Regency Park and North Haven.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...r/news-story/0a67fb91d0c6b1634d849e6f13ef2b69

Mr Meffert moved to Terowie to stay with an aunt and cousins in 2004 after his mother passed away.

He was not reported as a missing person because he had lost contact with the immediate members of his family after moving to Terowie.

Suffering from an undisclosed health issues, he was on a disability support pension and was receiving intermittent health care associated with them.

He last accessed that health care in Adelaide in February 2005.

Detectives believe he was killed in Terowie shortly after returning to Adelaide, following that treatment.

Bones-in-fireplace murder: Sister of Martin Meffert wants to end her family’s torment and get justice

Andrew Dowdell, Sunday Style
September 23, 2017 10:46pm

THE urn is a constant reminder to Natasha Meffert of her “sweetheart” brother’s murder and of her family’s yearning for justice.

Martin Meffert may never have been reported missing without the fluke and bizarre discovery of parts of his skeleton — left in a bag and plastic tub — in the fireplace of a Terowie house in the Mid North, in October 2013.
Mr Meffert is believed to have been murdered in early 2005 and, last week, police claimed they were close to arresting his killers and a group of people who subsequently siphoned his disability pension payments of $130,000 over eight years.
Ms Meffert, who is the eldest of her brother and two sisters, told the Sunday Mail of the pain caused by the stubborn refusal of those who know what happened to reveal the truth.
“I hate not knowing, I want it solved and I want answers,” she said.
“I want to be able to miss Martin like I should miss him.”


http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/law-order/bonesinfireplace-murder-sister-of-martin-meffert-wants-to-end-her-familys-torment-and-get-justice/news-story/ef424ca793283ec572077a32a293f59e

"police claimed they were close to arresting his killers and a group of people who subsequently siphoned his disability pension payments of $130,000 over eight years"
Surprising that someone hasn't come forward if so many people are involved

Theres a discrepancy re the reporting of Martin's mother's death:

In this latest article (at link), Martin's mother died aprox 10 years ago (2007?) and Martin's sister's could not get in touch with him at this time.

Yet, in previous articles, its been written, that in mid 2004, Martin left Adelaide, sick with grief over the death of his mother, bound for Terowie to stay with his Aunt and cousins whilst he recovered from his loss. :thinking:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...e/news-story/ef424ca793283ec572077a32a293f59e

Ms Meffert said Martin had moved to Terowie in 2004 and his transient and carefree existence meant his family adopted a “no news is good news” approach despite his years of no contact. When their mother, Lorraine, died about a decade ago, the sisters could not contact Martin.
“Maybe alarm bells should have gone off then but we were already dealing with the grief of mum’s death and organising the funeral and then we went back to babies and children,” Ms Meffert said.

7:21pm Nov 2, 2017

"What we're looking for is very, very small pieces of Martin's remains which may have been missed by the offender."

Officers spent much of their time at a shed, which is located near the home where the initial discovery of bones was made four years ago.

"In particular (we are) focussed on the floor of the shed where there is some information that Martin's remains may have been here at some time," Det. Supt Bray said.

Police have also searched a well at nearby Mulga Valley, where they found two pieces of evidence "of value" to their investigation.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/11/02/19/21/new-searches-in-martin-meffert-cold-case-murder-mystery

Something came up about the Emma Pawelski case on Facebook I was wondering is there any threads on it on here?

Unknownaussie said:

Something came up about the Emma Pawelski case on Facebook I was wondering is there any threads on it on here?

Click to expand...

Here you go, UA:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?191596-Australia-Emma-Pawelski-30-Adelaide-26-Nov-2005

Arrest!

Man arrested in connection with Mid-North cold case murder

The accused was 16 at the time of the murder!
Updated.
UPDATE: Man charged in connection with Mid-North cold case murder

Morrisa said:

The accused was 16 at the time of the murder!
Updated.
UPDATE: Man charged in connection with Mid-North cold case murder

Click to expand...

Yeah, and he was Martin’s cousin:

‘Police have laid murder charges against the cousin of a man whose remains were found in a fireplace in Terowie, in South Australia's mid-north.’

‘Christopher Travis Scott, 30, was arrested today in relation to Martin Craig Meffert's 2005 death.’

‘Mr Scott will face Port Pirie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.’

Cousin charged with murder over human remains found in SA's mid-north in 2013 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[QUOTE="Bohemian, post: 14430384, member: 159912"]Yeah, and he was Martin’s cousin:

‘Police have laid murder charges against the cousin of a man whose remains were found in a fireplace in Terowie, in South Australia's mid-north.’

‘Christopher Travis Scott, 30, was arrested today in relation to Martin Craig Meffert's 2005 death.’

‘Mr Scott will face Port Pirie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.’

Cousin charged with murder over human remains found in SA's mid-north in 2013 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)[/QUOTE]

OMG