An inquest into the disappearance of a pensioner from a tiny Northern Territory town has heard evidence of links to the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio.
Paddy Moriarty was last seen at Larrimah - population about 11 - some 500km south-east of Darwin following an afternoon on the drink.
The 70-year-old was known as a creature of habit in the Outback community where if regulars did not turn up at the local pub the licensee would call police.
Irish-born Mr Moriarty walked out of the Pink Panther Hotel at dusk on December 16, 2017, got onto his red quad bike with his kelpie Kellie and neither has been seen since.
It has been alleged a neighbour was later recorded singing: 'I killerated old Paddy I f***ing killerated him… struck him on the head and killerated him… '
An inquest into the disappearance of pensioner Paddy Moriarty from the tiny Northern Territory town of Larrimah in 2017 has heard evidence referring to the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001. Mr Falconio is pictured with his girlfriend Joanne Lees
Paddy Moriarty (pictured) walked out of the Larrimah hotel about five hours' drive south of Darwin at dusk on December 16, 2017. He got onto his red quad bike with his kelpie cross Kellie and was never seen again. Police fear the 70-year-old Irish-born stockman met with foul play
An inquest into Mr Moriarty's fate heard from most of the townspeople in 2018 and has resumed this week at Katherine Local Court.
That inquest has now heard of uncorroborated links between Mr Moriarty's disappearance and the 2001 murder of Mr Falconio, who was travelling through the Outback with his girlfriend Joanne Lees.
On Thursday, Coroner Greg Cavanagh referred Mr Moriarty's suspected death to the Northern Territory’s Director of Public Prosecutions.
'In my opinion Paddy was killed in the context of and likely due to the ongoing feud he had with his nearest neighbours,' Mr Cavanagh found.
'He likely died on the evening of 16 December 2017.'
Mr Cavanagh said the cause of Mr Moriarty's death was not able to be determined.
Paddy Moriarty drank every day at the Larrimah Hotel, also known as the Wayside Inn and the Pink Panther. He would down eight cans of XXXX Gold beer then ride the 200 metres home
Much speculation has surrounded Mr Moriarty's decade-long dispute with Larrimah pie shop owner Fran Hodgetts, who blamed the retired stockman for poisoning her plants.
Ms Hodgetts has always denied any role in Mr Moriarty's disappearance.
On Wednesday, witness Wayne Ledwidge gave evidence about a conversation he said he overheard between a wheelchair-bound man called Brian Roberts and Ms Hodgetts.
Mr Ledwidge claimed he and Mr Roberts had been neighbours at Katherine, 180km north west of Larrimah, in 2017 before Mr Moriarty disappeared, according to The Australian.
Paddy Moriarty left his hat (pictured), keys, cash and cards behind at his home, items friends said he would never go out without. Mr Moriarty's house was just 200 metres from the local pub
He said the pair had gone to the Katherine Motor Vehicle Registry one day and Mr Roberts had been approached by a woman he now believed was Ms Hodgetts.
Mr Ledwidge said Ms Hodgetts told Mr Roberts she wanted to 'get rid of' someone and was prepared to pay $10,000.
'She was very loud, abrupt, and said to Brian, "That bastard is still giving me a hard time - I need to get rid of him",' Mr Ledwidge told the court.
'I asked Brian who the old lady was and he said Fran from the pie shop.'
Ms Hodgetts has said she did not know Mr Roberts, who is now dead, and denied any such encounter took place.
'I never ever ever ever paid anyone to bump Paddy off,' she told the court on Wednesday. 'I swear on my mother and father's grave, I don't know him and I never said that.'
A $250,000 reward for information about Mr Moriarty's disappearance has not led to anyone being arrested. Mr Moriarty was last seen wearing a singlet, shorts and thongs
The alleged conversation had not initially troubled Mr Ledwidge but he contacted police after he saw a missing person sign for Mr Moriarty in Larrimah in 2019.
Mr Ledwidge told the court he did not know Mr Roberts as someone who 'takes people out' but had heard him yell at the television during a news story about Mr Moriarty's disappearance.
He was also aware that Mr Roberts's stepson was at one time a suspect in
