Murder charges laid in search for missing Queensland man

A woman stands accused of murdering a well-loved Mackay local who disappeared from the central Queensland city more than six months ago.

Wayne Pedro Morseu, 71, was reported missing by family in early November.

At that point, he had been out of contact for weeks, which was described by family as out of character.

Regional crime co-ordinator Detective Superintendent Darrin Shadlow said police arrested a 46-year-old woman in the Mackay city centre about 9.30am on Friday.

She was charged with murder and interference with a corpse.

Shadlow said the 46-year-old woman had, for a time, been in a “domestic relationship” with the victim.

Although the relationship had ended, he said the woman was still living with Morseu when he disappeared.

Police had yet to recover his body and were urging anyone with information that could lead officers to its location to come forward.

“We do believe that somebody out there will know something,” Shadlow said.

Police seized over 100 items linked to Morseu’s disappearance, and had spoken to more than 120 people – including the 46-year-old woman who stood accused of his murder.

“Today is a culmination of months of work … we have had a dedicated investigation centre running since November last year,” Shadlow said.

By early December, officers had already begun treating Morseu’s disappearance as suspicious because he had not used his bank accounts or done anything else usually considered as proof of life.

At the time, Shadlow had described Morseu as family oriented, and said he had been a long-time worker at the railway.

Police initially declared two crime scenes, one at a property near Pioneer River and another at Morseu’s home.

Search crews later focused their efforts on a patch of bushland between the city and Pioneer River.

On Friday, Shadlow said Moreseu’s family had been in constant contact throughout the investigation, and said they were “handling things as best they can” after the 46-year-old was arrested and charged.

The alleged killer was due to face Mackay Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon.

Shadlow said officers would continue to investigate until police presented their case for the trial.

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