Daily News Roundup

MONDAY September 9

Police are searching for a man that may know what happened to a sketch artist who was found bloodied, bruised and with parts of her clothes removed at a Brisbane park. 

Ioli Hadjilyra, 26, who lived in Spring Hill, was discovered under a railway bridge near some of her sketches by council workers at Clayfield’s Kalinga Park on Wednesday. 

Police are looking for Bradley Edwards, 34, who they say may have information into the death of Ioli. 

Police deemed her death suspicious after attempts were made to conceal Ms Hadjilyra’s body in a garden bed. Detectives could not rule out the possibility that she had been sexually assaulted. 

After an appeal for information this week, Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Toohey fronted media on Sunday in the hope of finding Bradley Edwards.

He said Mr Edwards had no fixed address but lived within the inner-city area of Brisbane, including Fortitude Valley, Nundah and Windsor. 

“We’re asking the public that if anyone knows where he is or has any information to call Crime Stoppers,” he said. 

“Alternatively, if anybody see Bradley Edwards, contact triple zero and police will come.”

Senior Sergeant Toohey said investigators were still looking into whether Ms Hadjilyra and Mr Edwards knew each other.

“At this time we are not making any comment in relation to the cause of her death,” he said. 

“However, we can say we are investigating that Ioli was seriously assaulted on that night.” 

Mr Edwards was described as Aboriginal and 190 centimetres tall, with a slim build, black hair and brown eyes. 

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Queensland remains in the midst of the worst bushfire threat in recorded history and an “omen of things to come”, the state’s fire service has warned.

52 fires are raging across the state in what has been the worst known start to bushfire season.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) predictive services and inspector Andrew Sturgess said the fire danger had never been as severe so early in Spring.  

So far, at least 20 structures have been destroyed by fire over three days, mostly in the Gold Coast hinterland, where a large out-of-control bushfire has been raging for several days. 

The State Government said 11 schools across the Granite Belt, Somerset and Gold Coast hinterland will be closed today due to the bushfires. 

The weather bureau has warned residents near bushfires “still have to be extremely cautious” as winds are forecast to reach 65 kilometres per hour. 

Sam Campbell, senior forecaster said there would be elevated winds today with conditions not expected to ease until Wednesday. 

“It’s going to be another dry windy day again for much of eastern and northern Queensland and unfortunately we are expecting very high fire dangers again,” he said.

“We could be seeing winds as high as 30 to 45km/h in parts of the south east of the state and gusting up to 50 to 60km/h in the afternoon. 

“We will have to be extremely cautious and aware that the fire dangers are still quite elevate and it’s quite a serious situation.

“Even into Tuesday when the winds moderate a little bit we’re still talking about very high fire dangers so there’s still a couple of days to go of challenging fire conditions for much of eastern Queensland.”

Nearby in Binna Burra, a continuing blaze completely destroyed the heritage-listed Binna Burra Lodge, creating a major blow to the region’s economy. 

“The only thing we know for sure that has survived is the business car,” Steven Noakes, chairman of Binna Burra Lodge said. 

Southern Downs Mayor Tracy Dobie said damage assessments were now underway. 

“There are some areas of course that people are only allowed in via escort,” she said. 

“There’s certainly been a lot of assets destroyed in the form of infrastructure, sheds, tanks – that sort of thing.”

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said more than 4,200 hectares had been impacted by the fires. 

About 300 people were staying in evacuation centres in Stanthorpe and Warwick. 

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The chief homicide detective who investigated the 2014 disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrell says he has an idea of who was responsible. 

Speaking at a crime writer’s festival in Sydney yesterday, Gary Jubelin said he could not be “100 per cent certain” and added: “I have my thoughts, not just gut instinct.”

William went missing from his foster grandmother’s home in Kendall on NSW’s Mid North Coast about 10:15am on September 12 in 2014. 

Mr Jubelin said he had faith in the process of finding William. 

“I have thoughts, ideas about what may have happened, but I want to stress that there is a process with the coroner and an ongoing inquest which I respect totally and support,” he said. 

Mr Jubelin was taken off the investigation after he was accused of professional misconduct related to his handling of the case. 

He told the audience yesterday he regarded his inability to solve the case as a “personal failure”.

Last month, Mr Jubelin retired from the police force after he was charged with illegally recording four conversations during the investigation. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. 

“Those charges related specifically to me carrying out my duties. It was within the scope of what I was tasked to do, investigating the William Tyrrell matter,” he said. 

“I had a lawful reason to record those conversations and an operational need. 

“It has impacted on me greatly. Obviously I’ve left the police. I am in the police to support victims and lock up bad guys. And I wasn’t able to do that.”

Frank Abbott is expected to testify at the NSW inquest into the suspected abduction of William when it resumes in March 2020, a source has told AAP. 

Mr Abbott was living in a caravan on a sawmill near Kendall when the boy disappeared five years ago, Ten News reported on Wednesday. 

The sawmill on Herons Creek was searched by police, sniffer dogs and SES personnel two weeks ago as the inquest was sitting in Taree. 

Heavy machinery was used to move logs during the search, with police tight-lipped at the time as to why they were interested in the property. 

No one has ever been charged in relation to William’s disappearance.