Police received frantic calls from the terrified family of an 18-year-old woman hours before her body was found in bushland on the Sunshine Coast.
The teenager allegedly met up with her ex-partner in a carpark off Bells Pocket Road at Strathpine about 4.30pm on Saturday.
When she didn’t return home before 7pm, her parents made panicked calls to the police.
Her vehicle was found at the car park and her body was found early the next morning in bushland in Nambour.
A 19-year-old Kallangur man was arrested at a service station in Nambour around 8pm – about 1km away from where the body was found.
District Crime Group Detective Inspector Ben Fadian said police were still investigating how and where the woman was allegedly killed.
Police will allege the Petrie woman had met up with her ex-partner in a carpark off Bells Pocket Road at Strathpine in Brisbane’s north around 4.30pm on Saturday.
He said while early investigations were ongoing, he could confirm the pair had recently ended their relationship.
A post mortem would be conducted soon to determine how the woman allegedly died.
He said the man and woman were not known to police and no domestic violence orders were in place at the time of her death.
Detectives have seized a number of forensic and electronic items, including a 2016 Ford Mustang and a blue 2012, Mazda 3.
The Strathpine car park, the service station and the bushland in Nambour had all been declared crime scenes.
Detective Inspector Fadian said this “tragic event” has “devastated” the woman’s “loving parents”.
“A young lady who was 18 years of age had her whole life ahead of her. This is a good young lady, a good young person that this has happened to and it’s a tragedy,” he said.
The 19-year-old man has been charged with one count of murder and misconduct with a corpse and is expected to appear before the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, October 24.
Detectives are appealing for anyone who witnessed a white 2016 Ford Mustang near Rob Ackers Sports Reserve at Bells Pocket Rd in Strathpine between 4pm and 6pm and at Park Rd, Nambour between 6pm and 8.30pm on Saturday.
They are also appealing for anyone who witnessed a blue 2012, Mazda 3 near the Rob Ackers Sports Reserve between 4pm and 6pm to contact police.
Anyone with dashcam, CCTV, or information that could help detectives is urged to contact police.
Saturday
4.30pm: 18-year-old woman allegedly meets 19-year-old ex-partner in Bells Pocket Rd car park at Strathpine
7pm: Woman’s worried family call police saying she hadn’t returned home
8pm: Her 19-year-old ex-partner found at Currie St service station in Nambour around 8pm – without the 18-year-old woman.
He is arrested by police.
Sunday morning
3am: Woman’s body found about 1km away in Park Rd, Nambour
Originally published as Family of slain teen made panicked calls to police
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