Friday 23 September 2022 02:23 AM Peter Falconio: Mother Joan begs for location of her son, boyfriend of Joanne ... trends now
A plea from the mother of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio sparked a five day police search of an outback well for his remains more than two decades after he disappeared.
Joan Falconio, 75, has broken her long silence to beg for information about the location of her son's body on what would have been his 50th birthday.
The grieving mother is still tormented by the loss of her son 21 years ago in the middle of the night on a remote stretch of road between Alice Springs and Darwin.
Peter and girlfriend Joanne Lees were in a campervan when they were pulled over by drug-runner Bradley Murdoch who shot Mr Falconio and tried to abduct Ms Lees.
She managed to escape, hiding in the bush for hours until she flagged down a truck and raised the alarm - but no trace of her boyfriend's body has ever been found.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal police emptied an outback well in 2019 where Mr Falconio's body was feared dumped after a personal plea from his mother.
The mother of missing British backpacker Peter Falconio has broken her long silence to beg for the location of her son's body to be revealed on what would have been his 50th birthday
Peter and girlfriend Joanne Lees were in a campervan when they were pulled over by drug-runner Bradley Murdoch who shot Mr Falconio and tried to abduct Ms Lees
But the five-day search proved fruitless.
Now Ms Falconio's plea for information has been backed by a demand for Northern Territory police to put up a $1million reward to revive the hunt and end the mystery.
'We want to bring Peter home where he belongs near his family,' Peter's mother said on Friday. 'Our pain is always with us. He was murdered 21 years ago, aged just 28 years.
'His life stopped on a lonely road - the Stuart Highway on July 14, 2001. Shot dead by cowardly Murdoch, who will not reveal where or what he did with him.'
She added: 'Peter has a beautiful niece and two lovely nephews who he never got to see or know.
'I am appealing to anyone with a conscience to help me - however small - to tell me where he was put.'
Joan Falconio (pictured with Peter's father Luciano) is still tormented by the loss of her son 21 years ago on a remote stretch of road between Alice Springs and Darwin
The grieving mother's plea has been backed by a demand for Northern Territory police to put up a $1million reward for the vital information about where her son's body is located
Ms Falconio and husband Luciano, 80, spoke out after they relived the tragedy on Peter's 50th birthday on Tuesday, September 20.
Former girlfriend Joanne Lees is now 47 and living in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, in the UK, and still remains in contact with Peter's parents.
The couple were on a trip around Australia in 2001 when Murdoch drew alongside and signalled them to pull over, claiming there were flames coming out the back of their van.
When Mr Falconio went round the rear to inspect it with Murdoch, he was shot dead.
Murdoch then grabbed Ms Lees, tied her up with cable ties and bundled her into the back of his ute.
