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.
