Bradley John Murdoch (born 19 February 1958) is an Australian criminal serving life imprisonment for the July 2001 murder of English backpacker Peter Falconio in Australia. He will be 74 when eligible for parole in 2032. Murdoch is being held in Darwin Correctional Centre in Darwin, NT. He has lodged two appeals against his conviction; both of which were unsuccessful. The High Court of Australia refused special leave to appeal on 21 June 2007.
Murdoch was arrested in 2003 and charged with the murder of Peter Falconio on a remote part of the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek on 14 July 2001. The case was heard before the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory in Darwin, and began on 17 October 2005. Murdoch pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering Peter Falconio and assaulting and attempting to kidnap his girlfriend Joanne Lees. Murdoch was convicted on 13 December 2005 for Falconio's murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 28 years. He was also convicted of other assault-related charges on Joanne Lees.
Murdoch was taken into custody and charged in Sept 2003. He was convicted on 13 Dec 2005 of murdering Mr Falconio, 28, and assaulting his girlfriend Joanne Lees on a remote stretch of highway near Barrow Creek, north of Alice Springs, on July 14, 2001.
Mr Falconio and Ms Lees were driving along the Stuart Highway when Murdoch drove up behind them and indicated they should pull over, saying their van might have an engine problem.
Mr Falconio went behind the car with him to investigate, and Ms Lees heard a gunshot, before Murdoch cable-tied her and covered her head. She escaped and hid in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog, before she managed to flag down a truck driver.
Murdoch is believed to have hidden Mr Falconio's body, which has never been found despite extensive searches.
Previous criminal charges
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In 1980, aged 21, Murdoch received a suspended sentence after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, after hitting and killing a motorcyclist.
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In November 1995, Murdoch started a 21-month imprisonment for the 20 August 1995 drunken incident of shooting at people who were celebrating at an indigenous Australian rules football grand-final match in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. He was released after 15 months.
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In 2003, he was charged with seven counts of abduction and rape, but was acquitted of these charges
Bradley Murdoch (right) is serving life in prison for the murder of English backpacker Peter Falconio
Peter Falconio, 28, with Joanne Lees who was cable-tied by Murdoch but managed to escape