Tony Jones

Anthony "Tony" John Jones, a 20-year-old man from Perth, Western Australia, vanished without a trace in November 1982 while on a backpacking trip across Australia. His disappearance, which is now considered a homicide, has become one of Queensland's most enduring cold cases. Jones was last seen in Townsville on November 3, 1982, after a brief trip to Cairns. He had been traveling with his brother, Tim, but the two had separated, with Tim continuing on a bicycle and Tony hitchhiking. A 2002 coronial inquest concluded that Jones had been murdered, but his body has never been found, and no one has ever been charged in connection with his death.

The investigation into Tony Jones's disappearance has been fraught with difficulties and criticism from the outset. The Jones family faced bureaucratic hurdles when they first tried to report him missing, and the official police investigation was slow to start. Over the years, numerous leads have been pursued, including a mysterious letter suggesting the location of his body, a prison cell confession, and sightings of a man resembling Jones with an older individual. Despite these efforts, and a reward that has been increased to $250,000, the case remains unsolved. The family's persistence led to the establishment of Australia's National Missing Persons Week and has kept the case in the public eye, but a definitive answer to what happened to Tony Jones remains elusive.

Anthony "Tony" John Jones was a 20-year-old Australian man from Perth, Western Australia, who disappeared in November 1982 while on a six-month backpacking trip around Australia. His case has become one of Queensland's most high-profile and enduring unsolved mysteries, with police suspecting he was murdered.

In the final stages of his journey, Jones was traveling with his brother, Tim. They had spent several months in Brisbane before heading north. For three weeks, Tony hitchhiked while Tim rode a bicycle, and they kept in touch by leaving messages for each other with relatives. They met up in Mackay and Airlie Beach and spent a week together in Townsville, sharing a caravan with two other travelers at the Sun City Caravan Park in Rosslea.

On October 28, 1982, Tim began the long ride west to Mount Isa, and Tony set off for a side trip to Cairns. He returned to Townsville on November 3 and made a phone call to his family and girlfriend in Perth. He was surprised to learn that his brother had already reached Mount Isa and that his mother had deposited $150 into his bank account to be shared with Tim. This was the last time anyone heard from Tony Jones. He never used his bank account again and never made it to Mount Isa.

In May 1983, the Queensland government offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for Jones's disappearance. This reward was increased to $250,000 in 2010. A coronial inquest in 2002 concluded that Jones had been murdered on or around November 3, 1982, by a person or persons unknown. Despite this finding, his family was initially unable to obtain a death certificate due to a legal anomaly in Queensland. This was rectified in 2005 with new legislation, and the certificate was issued in January 2006.

The investigation into Jones's disappearance has been heavily criticized. The Jones family faced difficulties in reporting him missing, and the police investigation was slow to start. Key leads were not followed up for years, and some evidence was lost. The family's own investigation uncovered numerous neglected leads, which eventually led to the reopening of the coronial inquest in 2010. However, this new inquest has been plagued by delays.

Over the years, several leads have emerged. In 2011, a retired grazier came forward with information about evidence he had found in 1983 near Cloncurry, including camping gear and a letter addressed to Jones. A search of the area, however, yielded no new clues. In another development, a former prisoner claimed a cellmate had confessed to a murder near Mount Isa. The suspect, Michael James Laundess, died in 2015 before he could be questioned in the inquest.

Other unresolved leads include an anonymous letter sent to police in 1983, claiming Jones's body was buried near the Fullarton River. A search of the area was unsuccessful. Police also released composite sketches of a suspect seen with Jones, which led to speculation about the involvement of a former police superintendent, but this was never fully investigated. Jones's rifle, a .22 calibre Voere, serial number 257435, has never been found.

The disappearance of Tony Jones was the catalyst for the establishment of Australia's National Missing Persons Week in 1988. His case has also been featured on cold case playing cards distributed in Queensland prisons.