+34
When four men go missing within two years, is it a coincidence or a sign of foul play? Families are hoping a joint inquest will reveal the truth.
The disappearances of Wesley Lockyer, Clinton Lockyer, Zane Stevens and Brenton Shar are set to be probed by a coronial inquest. The WA coroner will hold a joint inquest into the "disappearance and suspected deaths" of four men who went missing over a two-year period.
It has been a tough four years for the family of Clinton Lockyer, who disappeared in strange circumstances from the small West Australian town of Roebourne.
"You can't really move forward without knowing what happened. " Now the family has been notified that Clinton's case will be examined as part of a joint inquest, reviewing the disappearance and suspected deaths of"There's these men gone missing, and maybe it's linked, maybe it's not — we just don't know. "Different but similar The cases span more than a thousand kilometres, but are linked by rumours of foul play and accusations of police and public indifference.
But the families of the missing men have welcomed the inquest and the scrutiny it will bring. This year the family of Wesley Lockyer created a foundation in his name to raise funds for searching, advocacy and counselling. In a statement, the acting state coroner told the ABC the joint inquest would be held "in relation to the disappearance and suspected deaths of the missing men", with the date and location yet to be determined.
While there is no suggestion any of the men were using methamphetamine, the surging illicit drug trade in northern towns hasIn January, a young Aboriginal man named Zjaequaan Sebasio vanished from his family's home in Port Hedland. His mother, Beatrice, described him as a quietly spoken teenager who enjoyed watching movies and hanging out with friends. She was away for work the week he disappeared, but spoke to Zjaequaan just a few hours before he went missing.
"He'd told me he wanted to go away for a while, to clear his head and get away from the drugs in town," Beatrice said. At about 9pm Zjaequaan spoke to his sister as he left the house and walked off down Mindaroo Avenue. Zjaequaan Sebasio was briefly seen on a neighbour's CCTV camera as he walked off down Minderoo Avenue on the night he disappeared.
"We searched everywhere nearby and there were no footprints, and with the amount of spinifex he wouldn't have gone too far on foot," she said. "It's just been a rollercoaster. It's just heartbreaking, playing the waiting game, just wanting him to rock up and everything to be OK.
"But she is aware methamphetamine use is rife in the area, triggering violence and debts that affect even those with minimal involvement. "The info I got from police was that there wasn't any criminal thing going on, but I'm worried it's got something to do with people involved in drugs," Beatrice said. "People are too scared to talk about what's going on, as it might be their life or their families next.
Police conducted land, sea and air searches in the days after Zjaequaan disappeared, and confirmed in a statement that they obtained CCTV that "assisted investigators in establishing Mr Sebasio's movements after leaving his residence".
"The WA Police Force remains committed to the investigation and to finding answers for the Sebasio family, and continues to encourage anyone with information to come forward, either directly to police or anonymously through Crime Stoppers," police said. In recent weeks a rumour spread through Broome that another man had gone missing after a purported drug lab exploded at a bush block near town.
"We were woken up by the loud bang of the explosion. It was like a bomb going off," a neighbour said. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous to protect locals' privacy, said residents were escorted to safety by police close to midnight.
"It wasn't until the next day we realised the fella there had died, when the hospital van came with a body bag. "It's amazing how the rumours have spread — some people saying the fella there has disappeared, or someone did something to him. " In a response to questions from the ABC, WA Police confirmed the man who lived in the caravan was not missing — the 61-year-old had been killed in the blast.
Police described the death as non-suspicious and said there was no evidence it was a "drug lab", stating that" no drug paraphernalia was located at the scene". The families interviewed are hoping inquest hearings will be scheduled in the regional centres close to where they live.
Wa Coronial Inquest Unsolved Mysteries Wa Clinton Lckyer Zane Stevens Brenton Shar Wesley Lockyer Zjaequaan Sebasio Missing People Wa
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Live: Canavan says rate hike could be 'straw that breaks the camel's back'Matt Canavan says a further interest rate hike could be the 'straw that breaks the camel's back' for families, blaming government spending for inflation. Follow live.
Read more »
Viet Tan says Vietnam abducted activist Tran Hiep and colleague in CambodiaAn Australian democracy campaigner and his Vietnamese-Norwegian colleague were abducted in Cambodia and forcibly taken to Vietnam, the pro-democracy group Viet Tan says, as families appeal to the UN.
Read more »
Get $80 off sellout digital wall calendar shoppers love: SkylightFamilies love it because it allows everyone to sync into one central hub.
Read more »
Georgie Dent National Press Club Address Highlights Compounding Pressures on Modern FamiliesGeorgie Dent's recent National Press Club address has gone viral, exposing the increasing strain on modern families due to soaring cost of living, rigid workplace expectations, and the disconnect between school and work hours. The speech questions whether the current societal system is setting parents up for failure.
Read more »