A woman’s body was located after a human leg was discovered on a Northern Territory road earlier this week, and police arrested two people for the alleged collision.
Key points:
- Police believe the woman was hit by a car on the Stuart Highway on the outskirts of Darwin
- A man and a woman are expected to be charged in the incident later today
- Authorities allege they tried to hide the body
A major search began Tuesday after the leg was found near Stuart Highway, between Virginia Rd and Morgan Road, on the outskirts of Darwin.
Police believe he was left there in the previous 24 hours, probably in a road accident on Monday evening.
At a news conference this morning, Detective Sergeant Major Paul Morrissey said police had identified a “suspicious vehicle” that was in a house near Palmerston in the early hours of yesterday afternoon.
“Investigators went to the residence and, after talking to the 23-year-old occupant, he was arrested,” he said.
“A car was seized and a search warrant was executed on the property.”
“Further investigations were carried out and as a result of these investigations, police later went to an address in Winnellie where they arrested a 50-year-old woman in connection with this incident.”
“They also confiscated another vehicle.”
Two people are expected to be charged later today. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)
“Partially hidden” body
Sergeant Major Morrissey said police went to another location where he found the body, which he said had been “partially hidden” and was in conditions “compatible with being hit by a vehicle.”
“At 11:45 p.m. last night, police attended a scene on Jenkins Road, Virginia, where they located a dead Aboriginal woman,” she said.
“We believe that this is the victim of the collision.
“It is alleged that the 23-year-old man was the driver involved in the collision that hit the victim.
“It is alleged that the 50-year-old woman helped him move the deceased to another location, in an attempt to cover up the crime.”
Sergeant Major Morrissey said the body had been discovered “a few miles away” but “inside”. [the same] zone “as the alleged collision.
Police have not yet publicly identified the woman, but Sergeant Major Morrissey said they believe they know who the woman is and have been in contact with her family.
“We believe we have identified the victim, but more forensic tests are being conducted before making this final confirmation,” he said.
“We have been in contact with the family of the alleged victim.”
An autopsy will be performed today.
Police found the woman’s body at a Jenkins Road site in Virginia. (ABC News: Djamal Cook)
Public aid is “instrumental” in arrests
The man and woman are in police custody but have not yet been charged.
Sergeant Major Morrissey said police hoped to charge the couple later today with “crimes related to driving causing death and attempting to pervert the course of justice.”
I couldn’t tell if they were related.
Police allege the man was the driver of the incident and the woman helped him move the body to another location.
Authorities also believe speed was a factor in the incident.
Police have not yet provided a description of the vehicle involved, saying they were still conducting forensic tests.
Police have confirmed that the leg belonged to a teenager or adult. (ABC News: Myles Houlbrook-Walk)
Sergeant Major Morrissey described the couple’s alleged actions as “terrible” and said it was particularly worrying that there had been several incidents of flight into the Northern Territory in recent months.
“It’s one thing not to provide assistance and report the matter, but going further and trying to hide the crime is very terrible,” he said.
He thanked the public for their help with the investigation, saying the information provided had been “instrumental” in arresting the couple.
Police investigations continue.
Posted 1 hour ago 1 hour ago Thu, June 2, 2022 at 2:04 AM, updated 7 m ago, 7 minutes ago, Thu, June 2, 2022 at 3:56 AM