Murder investigation launched after body found in ute tray on Gold Coast
A murder investigation and manhunt continued on Wednesday night after a body, believed to be female, was found in a ute tray near a mobile home park on the Gold Coast.
Police had not identified the body, but forensic officers were continuing to examine the crime scene and police were speaking with residents at the nearby mobile home park.
They were also searching for a man believed to be travelling in a silver late-model Holden Commodore sedan with registration 966 WKB in connection with the gruesome discovery.
Police arrived at an address in the Logan suburb of Buccan about 1.30pm on Wednesday in relation to a missing person.
As officers arrived, the occupant fled in a black ute, which police tracked to the Gold Coast suburb of Stapylton, where police found a body inside the abandoned vehicle but not the driver.
Detective Acting Superintendent Mark White said the identity of the body may not be known until Thursday or Friday.
An investigation centre had been set-up at Logan Central Police Station with detectives from Logan, Gold Coast and the Homicide Squad all involved.
"We’re very early in the investigation ... We have a lot of information that’s coming in and a lot of information that we’re processing,” Acting Superintendent White said.
"We are conducting some very extensive inquiries in relation to any person associated with that car and also the address at Buccan."
Acting Superintendent White said the investigation was at a "critical stage" and the forensic examination of the crime scene was expected to continue for as long as two days.
Anyone who sees the Holden Commodore has been urged not to approach anyone inside the vehicle and to instead call triple-zero immediately.