A body believed to be that of missing Australian teen Pheobe Bishop has been found near where she was last seen three weeks ago.
Police found the human remains while searching an area close to Good Night Scrub National Park, near Gin Gin, in Queensland, on Friday (June 6) at 2:30pm local time.
Forensic examinations are ongoing but investigators are currently in contact with the family of the 17-year-old.
Highlights
- A body believed to be missing teen Pheobe Bishop was found near Good Night Scrub National Park after three weeks of searching.
- Pheobe’s roommates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley, were charged with m*rder and interfering with a corpse.
- Bishop never boarded her flight from Bundaberg Airport and was last seen with the two housemates who allegedly dropped her off.
Bishop’s roommates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley, were both charged with m*rder and interfering with a corpse in connection to the teenager’s disappearance.
Image credits: ABC News Australia
Bishop had been living with the couple, who were known to the family, after allegedly falling out with her mother and running away from home.
They were the last people to see her alive after dropping her off at Bundaberg Airport on May 15. The teen failed to board a scheduled flight to Brisbane and then on to Western Australia to see her boyfriend.
Detective Inspector Mansfield said Bishop never made it to the airport.
Image credits: ABC News (Australia)
Image credits: 9 News Australia
“We will allege that our evidence will outline that three people arrived near to the airport and three people never exited that vehicle,” Detective Mansfield said.
“Our investigations have been complex and protracted over the past three weeks. Those investigations have afforded us evidence to put both of those individuals before the court.”
Mansfield added that investigators had "information that would suggest some form of motivation" to commit the crime.
Police allege that Bishop’s body was moved “more than once.”
Mansfield revealed that the investigation had been informed by telephone data and authorities had received more than 200 tip-offs from members of the public.
Her two housemates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley, have been charged in connection to the case
Image credits: James Wood/Tanika Bromley
Image credits: 7NEWS Australia
After Queensland Police announced they found the remains, Bishop’s mother, Kylie Johnson, said the news was “ripping [her] apart.”
“I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid, but this! This is ripping me apart,” she wrote on Facebok.
The teen’s community is preparing to host a candlelight vigil in her memory on Sunday night.
Bishop was last seen when the couple, who were known to Bishop's family, drove her to the airport on May 15
Image credits: Kylie Johnson/Facebook
“Like most rural families we are resilient, proud and strong but this has brought us to our knees like no drought ever could,” Johnson expressed.
“This vigil is a way of our family acknowledging Pheobe's impact on our community.
“While we don't have Phee home to put to rest just yet, our community needs the healing process to start.”
"Out world has just been shattered into the most horrific place I've ever seen," wrote the teen's mother, Kylie Johnson
Image credits: Kylie Johnson / Facebook
After more than three weeks of investigation, police confirmed on Thursday (June 5) that they had charged her two housemates with one count each of m*rder and two counts of tampering with a corpse, as per Sky News Australia.
Wood, one of the roommates, was taken into custody and questioned on Wednesday but was initially released without charge.
Image credits: 9 News Australia
However, as the investigation progressed, detectives later found enough evidence to charge both him and Bromley.
Text messages sent by Wood to one of his friends after Bishop's disappearance read, “I was one of the last people to see her alive cops basically asked me if I did her in or hurt her.
“I was like WTF, so yeah that’s nice to know that purely because I’m a male and look the way I do.”
Image credits: 9 News Queensland
Wood had reportedly shared a Facebook message asking for information about Bishop and offering his fishing boat as reward.
“Please if you know something, please contact her family,” he wrote, before directly addressing the 17-year-old, “And please homie if you see this please just contact one of us and let us know you’re ok.”
Bishop had a scheduled flight to meet her boyfriend but never reached the airport
Image credits: Kylie Johnson/Facebook
Bishop’s other flatmate, 33-year-old Tanika Bromley, was previously arrested on May 24 after police found different weapons at her Gin Gin home and inside the grey Hyundai ix35 where Bishop was reportedly taken to the airport.
She was charged with multiple weapon-related offenses unrelated to the Bishop investigation.
Image credits: Kylie Johnson/Facebook
According to the Daily Mail, Queensland Police had found and removed four lifeless dogs from the Gin Gin home as they searched for Bishop's.
One neighbor told the outlet that she believed as many as 13 of the animals had been discovered.
Image credits: Kylie Johnson / Facebook
A crime scene has been declared as forensic examinations continue.
"Police continue to appeal for any information in relation to Pheobe Bishop or the movement of a grey Hyundai IX35 between May 15 to 18 in the greater Gin Gin area," Queensland Police said in a statement.
Before her disappearance, the 17-year-old told one of her friends via text message that she had “been better” but chose to “focus on the good sh*t.”
Image credits: Kylie Johnson
“I take off to WA in three days! Get out of this s*** home for a bit so that will be good, just packing atm (at the moment),” she texted, adding that she was planning to be gone for ten days.
A supermarket worker who saw Bishop several times before she vanished described her as “looking worse for wear with no money” and said she "didn’t look like she belonged to anyone.”
Bouquets of flowers have been laid in front of the Gin Gin property where Bishop, Bromley and Wood lived together
Another tribute has been set up near the Bundaberg Airport, with Bishop’s sister Kaylea Bishop placing cards, flowers and photographs in her memory.
Before being charged, Wood had posted a Facebook message asking for help in locating the teen
Social media users quickly reacted to the devastating news that the human remains might belong to Bishop.
“Rip young lady you ddnt deserve this. Hope those 2 rot in there jail cells. Sending love to the family,” one person wrote.
"Absolutely heartbreaking - It gives some kind of closure finding her but just so bloody cruel to take her life. Evil, evil people!!!” someone else said.
“Poor young girl , terrible for her mum & family , sending love & prayers .can’t imagine how they can deal with losing such a beautiful young girl , stay strong,” a third added.
"I was hoping she would be found alive. Rest in love sweet girl," lamented one Facebook user
