Grandparent of Missing Boy Gus Lamont Faces Firearm Charge Amid Ongoing Search
Josie Murray, the 75-year-old grandparent of missing four-year-old Gus Lamont, has been charged with a firearms offence as police persist in their search for evidence related to the boy's disappearance from a remote homestead near Yunta in South Australia. Murray was arrested on Monday after Major Crime police revisited the property where Gus vanished almost five months ago.
She voluntarily drove herself to the local police station, where she was formally charged with one count of possessing a sound moderator that fits onto one of her firearms. Authorities have classified this as an aggravated offence due to the moderator's compatibility with a firearm in her possession. If convicted, Murray could face a maximum penalty of a $75,000 fine or up to 15 years in prison.
Murray has been granted bail and is scheduled to appear in the Peterborough Magistrates Court on May 6. Police have emphasised that this charge is unrelated to the disappearance of her grandson or to an incident in October when a shotgun was allegedly waved at a newspaper reporter at her homestead.
Intensive Search Efforts Continue
Despite a two-day search of the region this week, which included the use of a cadaver dog brought in from interstate, no new evidence has been found regarding Gus Lamont's whereabouts. The search covered multiple areas, including another family property and a national park, with officers inspecting old mine shafts, an outhouse with fresh cement, and a water tank at a neighbouring property.
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens expressed the emotional investment in the case, stating, "Nobody wants to see this case solved more than Gus’s mum and dad. The police officers who have been dedicated to the investigation and every person who was involved in this research, there’s a strong emotional investment in coming to a resolution for this particular investigation." He also downplayed the possibility of an imminent arrest, noting the complexities of the investigation and suggesting that work on Gus's disappearance will continue for some time.
Background and Investigation Details
On February 5, police declared Gus Lamont's disappearance a major crime, identifying someone living at the remote station as a suspect in the case and his likely death. It was confirmed that the boy's grandparents, his mother, and his younger brother were present at the property when he disappeared, but his parents are not considered suspects.
The latest search by Task Force Horizon officers involved scouring numerous buildings and structures at the station and adjoining properties, with assistance from a police helicopter and the cadaver dog. Authorities have vowed to return to the region frequently as the criminal investigation progresses, underscoring their commitment to resolving this tragic case.
