A family member of a road worker who disappeared more than 40 years ago in the Kimberley has expressed his dismay after an inquest raised the possibility the initial search was bungled.
The baffling case of Desmond Carr made national headlines four decades ago and WA's Deputy State Coroner Sarah Linton said her open finding into his presumed death will provide no greater closure to his family.
The inquest's findings highlighted evidence of opportunities lost by police, supporting the belief from family members that the initial investigation did not go far enough.
Desmond Carr was last seen at 3pm on August 2, 1979, operating a steamroller south of Broome on the Great Northern Highway.
An hour later a work colleague went to collect him and found the steamroller still running but Mr Carr nowhere to be seen.
Police were notified the next day and the area's harsh terrain was searched and no trace of the 32-year-old has ever been found.
But the inquest has cast doubt on the thoroughness of that search through evidence provided by one of Mr Carr's work colleagues at the time he went missing.
Evidence search conducted in wrong location
Maxwell Nairn came to police after seeing his former workmate's case featured on the Australia's Most Wanted television show in 1989.
Mr Nairn said in his statement to police the steamroller was moved the day after Mr Carr's disappearance, meaning the search originating from the vehicle was conducted in the wrong location by up to two kilometres.
Mr Nairn said police and his supervisor did not listen to his concerns at the time.
He said he was certain of the roller's location because he drove the water truck and started work half an hour earlier than anyone else so he could wet the road.
However, when the missing person's unit passed this information to Broome Police in 1989 Ms Linton said it was not clear if it was acted on.
'Search seemed brief and somewhat limited'
Ms Linton elaborated further on the inadequacies of the original police investigation.
Mr Carr's nephew Jay Walkerden made a podcast titled The Disappearance of Des to try and solve the mystery that's haunted his family.
He said the evidence suggesting the initial search was conducted in the wrong location left a sour taste in his family's mouth.
"That was probably one of the biggest shocks of the inquest," Mr Walkerden said.
Coroner does not find cause of death
When weighing up another witness's belief that Mr Carr could have got lost and may have been seeking help for a week, Ms Linton said it was more likely he would have died soon after he left the roller.
At the time of his disappearance Mr Carr complained of persistent headaches and had a history of blackouts.
But Ms Linton was unable to reach any conclusion as to his cause of death.
Mr Walkerden said even now he was still getting reports from people who claim to have seen his uncle after his disappearance.
The missing person's case remains open and Mr Walkerden holds hope that in the future there may be a breakthrough in finding Mr Carr.
