TEN years after the disappearance of English backpacker Peter Falconio in the Northern Territory Outback his murderer, Bradley John Murdoch, has broken his silence.
During a phone interview with his lawyer, Andrew Fraser, which was recorded by Channel 7's Sunday Night program, Murdoch, who is serving 28 years inside Alice Springs Correctional Centre, said he was not Peter Falconio’s killer.
“I might be a bit rough around the edges and all that sort of thing, but, you know, I'm (a) pretty straight up sort of person,” he said.
“I've got a heart - I'm a little bit of a gentle giant at times.
"(I) might have knocked a few people around with me knuckles and that sort of thing, but, nah, I never had anything to do with it.”
During the phone interview Murdoch claims he did not have a reason to murder the English backpacker, and he hints Peter Falconio’s girlfriend at the time, Joanne Lees, could have been involved in his disappearance.
"Well I know meself that I didn't do it,” Murdoch said.
“I was running around doing some, you know, running a bit of pot here and there and I did it pretty well, I was good at it.
“So why would I go and jeopardise all that?
“I'd say Joanne Lees had something to do with it. What was she up to?”
Peter Falconio photo gallery
Meanwhile, Melbourne lawyer Andrew Fraser claims Peter Falconio is still alive and has been seen by four people since he disappeared near Barrow Creek 10 years ago.
“It's the greatest legal railroading in this country since Lindy Chamberlain," Mr Fraser said.
Mr Fraser could not explain why these witnesses had not come forward during the murder trial.
Two weeks ago truck driver Phil Cook, 62, told the British newspaper The Sun he believes he had met the killer of Peter Falconio.
Mr Cook said he was at Barrow Creek Hotel on the morning after the murder of Peter Falconio, where he met a man who told him he had camped only metres away from the scene of the killing.
Mr Cook said the man also hinted he shot his dog to avoid police attention.
"He was a real weirdo," Mr Cook said.
"I definitely thought this man could be the killer and I still have my doubts to this day. He could have done it."
"I didn't trust the stranger from the moment he wandered up to me at the roadhouse and told me he had just been cleared by the police," he said
Email a friend