COMMENT
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Police are often frustrated by people having what they consider a trivial piece of information about a crime they don’t think worth sharing.
It is this small piece of the puzzle police are desperately searching for to help solve the mysterious disappearance of Larrimah local Paddy Moriarty.
As most of us know now, Mr Moriarty went missing from that small town down the Stuart Highway just before last Christmas.
Police have done about everything they can.
They have conducted extensive searches, including using volunteers from Katherine.
They have spoken to, and extracted statements from, every resident of the now famously dysfunctional town.
There are lots of rumors, lots of finger pointing but no body, no forensic evidence (that we know of) and no smoking gun – no confessions.
There is no doubt that was a major reason they had brought forward the inquest in Katherine so early.
The inquest was told it was because of the advancing years of many of the residents, they wanted to hear from everybody.
But it was also to give the case another public airing.
Police are sure someone knows something.
But it might not be a Larrimah resident.
It might be someone who hasn’t come forward yet.
Someone with a small piece of the puzzle.
Someone who thought what they saw, or heard, or knew, was inconsequential to the investigation.
At this stage, police need everything and everybody on board to help solve this one.
From what they told the inquest, they think Paddy is below ground somewhere so locating his body might be a problem.
The same goes for his dog Kellie.
Larrimah has not come out of this very well either, we suspect not many communities would, with the sort of forensic analysis they have been subjected to.
Especially with the police in there, even on Christmas day, poking and prodding trying to find that missing piece of the puzzle.
Police have asked anyone who was in or travelled through Larrimah on December 16, 2017 and who hasn’t yet spoken to police to please contact them on 131 444 or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Let’s find Paddy.
Remember, the smallest piece of information might be the clue we need.