Bradley John Murdoch, a notorious outback killer, displayed a steadfast refusal to engage with a plea from the parents of his victim even as he was in the final moments of his life in a hospital under the guard of prison officials, an inquest has revealed.
Despite being on his deathbed, Murdoch adamantly withheld his secrets, vehemently ordering officers to leave his palliative care room in Alice Springs, Australia, where he eventually passed away at the age of 67 last year.
The inquest exposed Murdoch’s unwavering resolve to keep his secrets intact, his medical history, and concerns from his family regarding a possible adverse reaction to a Covid vaccine. Murdoch, who was convicted in 2005 for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, maintained his silence even as his son Quentin, present during the proceedings, listened quietly as details of the family’s worries were recounted.
Among the concerns raised were delays in Murdoch’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as complaints about medication dispensing issues and perceived lack of attention from clinic staff. Additionally, the family attributed Murdoch’s declining health to mandatory Covid vaccinations, alleging it led to his deterioration.
The cause of Murdoch’s death was determined to be an “unidentified tumor,” specifically metastatic adenocarcinoma (palliated) from an unidentified tumor, as concluded by forensic pathologist Dr. Marianne Tiemensma during the inquest in Alice Springs.
Leading up to his demise, Murdoch, who had a history of health complications, including type two diabetes, thrombosis, and kidney disease in 2021, had chosen not to seek cancer treatment in Adelaide or Darwin, preferring to remain in Alice Springs.
Despite the estrangement from his son for some time, Murdoch had reconnected with him in 2018 and maintained communication until his passing at the Alice Springs Hospital palliative care unit at the age of 66.
During his final days, NT Police made a final effort to extract information from Murdoch regarding the whereabouts of Mr. Falconio. However, Murdoch, unyielding in his stance, refused to engage with the officers and maintained his innocence, declining to watch a video of Falconio’s parents pleading for answers.
Murdoch, sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 28 years for Falconio’s murder, faced an extended sentence due to the “no body, no parole” laws enacted in the Northern Territory in 2016. Despite attempts to appeal his conviction, including a denial of special leave by the High Court in 2007, no new information regarding Falconio’s location emerged during the inquest.
The inquest, lasting over an hour, concluded with Coroner Elisabeth Armitage affirming that Murdoch had received compassionate and considerate care from health and corrections staff, with no recommendations put forth.