Queensland police have identified remains found in the search for missing 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop as human, and further testing is being done to formally identify them.
The discovery of remains was made at about 2.30pm on Friday after a search of an area near Good Night Scrub national park, close to Gin Gin, police said. The remains were found one day after her housemates were charged with her murder.
“We always wanted to bring Phoebe home, and we believe that this is the first step in that process,” Det Insp Craig Mansfield said on Saturday. He confirmed police had contacted Pheobe’s family.
“We do hope that this development, coupled with the arrests in recent times, will bring some level of closure to Pheobe’s family so they can begin to move forward with their grieving process.”
Police anticipated forensic investigations at the site would be finished today.
“We will conduct our examinations with a view of trying to determine a cause of death, whether it’s able to be achieved is yet to be determined,” he said.
Police continued to search for the 17-year-old’s luggage, Mansfield said.
Pheobe’s mother, Kylie Johnson, was quick to share her grief on Friday.
“I didn’t think my heart could break any more than it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart …” she posted on Facebook.
A crime scene has been declared at the location and forensic examinations are continuing, police said.
Police are continuing to appeal for any information in relation to Pheobe or the movement of a grey Hyundai ix35 between 15 and 18 May in the greater Gin Gin area.
On Thursday, police charged Pheobe’s housemates with her murder.
The housemates allegedly murdered the missing teenager before moving her body from a national park, police say.
James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, will remain behind bars after their matters appeared in the Bundaberg magistrates court in southern Queensland.
They have been charged with murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse.
They have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on 11 August.
Earlier on Friday, Pheobe’s sister Kaylea Bishop issued a heartbreaking plea to find her sibling outside the court where Wood and Bromley were remanded in custody.
“If you’ve got any information about Pheobe … just come forward,” she told reporters.
Wood and Bromley’s arrests came three weeks to the day after Pheobe missed a flight and vanished.
“Three weeks is too long for us as a family. We just want her home,” Kaylea said.
“She was loved, she’s missed dearly.”
The Gin Gin community will hold a candlelight vigil on Sunday to pay tribute to Pheobe.
Bundaberg mayor Helen Blackburn said it was very difficult to make sense of the tragedy.
“We now need to come together as a community, support and care for one another as we try to move forward,” Cr Blackburn said.
With AAP
