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Home / World

Why Australian teen Pheobe Bishop was separated from boyfriend before her alleged murder

By Blair Jackson
news.com.au·
15 Jun, 2025 02:02 AM3 mins to read

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Pheobe Bishop's last TikTok post was a conversation with her younger self.

Pheobe Bishop's last TikTok post was a conversation with her younger self.

  • Seventeen-year-old Pheobe Bishop was allegedly murdered by her housemates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley.
  • Bishop’s remains were found weeks later in Good Night Scrub National Park, Queensland.
  • Her disappearance sparked a large search; her housemates have been charged and will return to court in August.

Queensland teenager Pheobe Bishop had been separated from her boyfriend by a tragedy in the young man’s life before her alleged murder, it has been reported.

Pheobe, 17, was allegedly killed by her housemates last month. Remains that police found weeks later in bushland are suspected to be the teenager’s.

She was last seen on her way to Bundaberg Airport to fly to Western Australia to visit her boyfriend, with her disappearance sparking a huge search effort in the region.

Her boyfriend has been identified by the Daily Mail as 18-year-old Levi, with the young man’s father Rick telling the outlet he was forced to move with his children to Western Australia after Levi’s mother was killed in a car crash.

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“Their beautiful mum had a car accident on New Year’s Eve [in] 2020, and the kids would go past the site every day on the school bus,” Rick told the Daily Mail.

“It was too hard on them, the constant reminder.”

The Daily Mail says Rick spoke on his 18-year-old son’s behalf.

Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg Airport in regional Queensland, shortly before her scheduled flight to Perth.

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“Levi absolutely adored Pheobe,” Rick said.

Levi (left) was the boyfriend of allegedly slain Queensland teenager Pheobe Bishop. Levi's father Rick (right).
Levi (left) was the boyfriend of allegedly slain Queensland teenager Pheobe Bishop. Levi's father Rick (right).

“They would video chat all night, every night, falling asleep – and then they would tell each other who was sleep-talking the next day.

“It was a bit cute.”

Phoebe and Levi were going to go camping on Western Australia’s south coast, and the young man had splurged on a gift for his girlfriend.

“Levi had bought Pheobe a Canon camera worth [A]$1000 because she wanted to get into photography,” Rick said.

“He had planned a trip to Esperance in W.A., camping on the beach with Pheobe.

“They were both really excited about that.

“It’s so heartbreaking, seeing what could have been a beautiful future together shattered into pieces.”

The tragic new details have been revealed before Pheobe’s friends and community drive a memorial convoy through the town of Gin Gin on Sunday.

“Anyone that knew Phee knew she loved the outdoors – she got her passion for cars from her poppy and dad, and her passion for 4x4ing and camping from me and her brothers,” Pheobe’s mother Kylie Johnson posted online.

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“If this is her friends and young peoples’ [sic] way for grieving and paying tribute to Phee in a way that’s meaningful for them, then we support it.”

A man and a woman who Pheobe was living with in Gin Gin have been arrested.

James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, have been charged with her murder and police allege they moved her body several times.

Wood and Bromley did not appear in court when the matter was first mentioned on June 6. Their cases are due to return to court in August.

On the courthouse steps, Pheobe’s sister Kaylea Bishop sent a message to the public.

“If you’ve got any information about Pheobe, or the car or anything like that, just come forward,” she said.

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“Three weeks is too long for us, as a family and all of her friends.

“We just want her home. She was loved and she’s missed dearly.”

Later that same day, police announced remains found in the Good Night Scrub National Park were believed to be that of the 17-year-old.

Neither Wood nor Bromley have entered pleas to the charges.

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