 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Two articles from the Townsville Bulletin in Feb 2002 by Kylie Stockdale: Coronial Inquiry for Missing Person Tony Jones |
| Coroner's inquest in Feb 2002 for missing person Tony Jones, Townsville, Queensland: Missing man case criticised A Townsville coroner has criticised a police investigation into the disappearance of a Perth hitchiker who vanished from NQ almost 20 years ago. In handing down his findings from a coronial inquest into the 1982 disappearance of Anthony "Tony" John Jones, Coroner Ian Fisher yesterday said police should have treated the investigation with more urgency in the period immediately after Mr Jones was reported missing. He recommended guidelines be put in place to ensure the investigation of missing person cases similar to Mr Jones's were treated with more urgency in the future. It was noted such guidelines may have already been established in the lengthy period since the case started. Mr Fisher said he was satisfied Mr Jones, 20, was murdered on or about Nov 3, 1982. He ordered police continue their investigations into the disappearance. The inquest heard Mr Jones phoned his family from a Bowen Rd public phone in Townsville about 7.30pm on Nov 3 and told them he would hitchhike to Mt Isa within the next two days to meet up with his brother, Tim. Tim Jones, who was the only family member at the inquest, said his brother "vanished off the face of the earth" after the call. Yesterday he said he was pleased with the coroner's findings. He said some family members would be happy to know the investigation would continue. He said the family's refusal to let police dismiss Tony's disappearance helped highlight flaws in the missing person investigation procedures and paved the way for improvements to be made. Tim said some family members had also helped establish Missing Persons Week, which had helped locate many missing people. Coroner Fisher said all missing person cases should be lodged with a coroner after they remained unsolved for one year. He said the Coroners Act stipulated that procedure and it should be upheld. Townsville Bulletin, Thu, 21 Feb 2002, by Kylie Stockdale |
|
 |