NSW Police have charged a man over the murder of a 25-year-old German backpacker on the state’s north coast 17 years ago.
Key points:
- Tobias Moran, 42, has been charged with the murder of Simone Strobel 17 years ago
- The naked body of the German backpacker was found under palm leaves in Lismore
- Moran was extradited from Perth to Sydney and has been refused bail
The body of pre-school teacher Simone Strobel was found hidden under palm fronds in Lismore in February 2005.
Police arrested Tobias Moran in Perth on Tuesday. He was extradited to Sydney on Wednesday afternoon.
The 42-year-old was refused bail after being charged overnight with murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He will appear again in a Sydney court today.
Ms Strobel had been backpacking along Australia’s east coast with her boyfriend, sister and friend before she died.
Simone Strobel was backpacking in New South Wales when she was murdered.
Arrived in Lismore on 11 February 2005 and checked into Lismore Tourist Caravan Park. That night was the last time Strobel was seen alive.
A coronial inquest in 2007 found that the evidence available at the time did not justify the matter being referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A NSW police strike force has been investigating the case with their counterparts in Germany since 2005.
In 2020, a $1 million reward was offered for information about Ms. Strobel’s death.