An inquest has revealed that Bradley John Murdoch, a notorious outback killer, refused to watch a plea from his victim’s parents before his death. Despite being under the care of prison guards in a hospital, Murdoch declined to reveal any secrets and demanded the officers leave his palliative care room in Alice Springs, Australia, where he passed away at the age of 67.
During the inquest into Murdoch’s final moments, it was disclosed that he adamantly kept his secrets, medical history, and concerns about a Covid vaccine making him unwell. Murdoch, convicted in 2005 for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, maintained his silence till the end, with Falconio’s body never found.
The killer’s son, Quentin, expressed concerns about delays in Murdoch’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as issues with medication dispensing. Additionally, the family raised worries about Murdoch’s reported frustrations with clinic staff, turnover of medical personnel, and the impact of mandatory Covid vaccinations on his health.
Despite the family’s concerns, the inquest determined Murdoch’s cause of death as an “unidentified tumour,” specifically metastatic adenocarcinoma (palliated) from an unidentified tumor. Murdoch, who had various health issues including type two diabetes, thrombosis, and kidney disease, chose not to seek cancer treatment in Adelaide or Darwin before his demise.
Prior to his death, Murdoch had reconnected with his son after a period of estrangement. He spent his last days in the Alice Springs Hospital palliative care unit, where he remained in contact with family until his passing.
Days before his death, NT Police attempted to extract information from Murdoch regarding Falconio’s whereabouts, but he refused to engage with the officers. Murdoch maintained his innocence and declined to watch a video of Falconio’s parents pleading for answers. Convicted in 2005, Murdoch was serving a life sentence with a non-parole period of 28 years, later extended indefinitely due to legislation requiring the discovery of Falconio’s body for parole eligibility.
Despite attempts to appeal his conviction, Murdoch’s case saw no breakthroughs regarding Falconio’s location. The inquest concluded with Coroner Elisabeth Armitage finding that Murdoch received compassionate and considerate care from health and corrections staff during his time in custody and hospitalization. No recommendations were made following the inquest.
