Outback tourist faked death or insurance says informant

By BILLY ADAMS Herald correspondent

SYDNEY - Newly surfaced evidence suggests that missing backpacker Peter Falconio may not have been shot in the Outback.

In fact, if the claims of an anonymous informant are to be believed, he may have faked his own death to cash in on a life insurance policy.

The latest developments in Australia's most notorious unsolved crime will be seized on by conspiracy theorists everywhere, but yesterday one man closely linked to the case gave them short shrift.

Publican Les Pilton and his wife, Helen Jones, comforted a traumatised Joanne Lees, Falconio's girlfriend, when she was taken to their hotel shortly after the alleged ambush by a gunman.

"I know there can be black sheep in families," said Pilton yesterday. "But I would not have thought Peter was the kind of person who could have given that much grief to his mum, dad and brothers."

When Lees was taken into Barrow Creek Hotel after her ordeal last July she sparked one of the Australia's biggest manhunts and media headlines around the globe.

Detectives were told a man flagged the young British couple down as they were driving north on an isolated stretch of the Stuart Highway, north of Alice Springs. After Falconio got out Lees heard a loud bang which police believe was her boyfriend being shot. She was then tied up and thrown into the gunman's truck but managed to escape and hid in nearby scrub for six hours before stopping a passing truck.

Although police have repeatedly stressed that they believe her story, public and media suspicion has continued to plague Lees. In a television documentary this year she was forced to deny she had killed her 28-year-old partner.

Speculation surrounding the case has soared once again as it was revealed police were investigating the claim that Falconio may have faked his death.

Britain's Daily Mail said a letter sent to detectives described how the backpacker, before setting off on his Australian trip, allegedly asked for detailed information about life insurance policies and ways in which death could be faked.

The anonymous letter was sent from Britain, where the Mail said it had seen an affidavit containing similar allegations signed by a workmate and friend of Falconio.

The newspaper said the theories could be just another cruel burden on Lees, whose mother, Jennifer, 54, died this week after a long illness.

It speculated that Lees might have been an innocent party in a ruse by her boyfriend to dupe his insurers. It said he might have played a cruel joke on her, with the aid of an accomplice, after learning she was about to dump him.

It was also reported that detectives had questioned another man who claims to have seen and spoken to Falconio on the east coast.

Falconio's parents refused to believe their son may have faked his death, yesterday dismissing the allegation as "absolutely disgusting".

So far, Northern Territory Police have found neither a gunman nor a body, and despite reportedly believing the sincerity of the letter writer, have found no evidence to support the claims.

"I have discussed the matter with the Falconio family and have assured them that we are continuing with this homicide investigation and I am confident that we will find the offender," said Assistant Commissioner John Daulby Pilton. "If you wanted to fake your death and have access to get away quickly you wouldn't do it in the middle of nowhere."