Inquest into 1998 disappearance reveals tensions with local man
A coronial inquest is examining Joanne Butterfield's 1998 disappearance from Mossman. Evidence shows a local man argued with her several times. His behaviour was also suspicious.
Joanne Butterfield disappeared in June 1998 from Far North Queensland. Coroner Stephanie Williams is looking at whether she died.
She is also checking if the initial police investigation was done properly. Evidence this week showed Butterfield and a local man argued three or four times at a taxi rank.
This happened in the two months before her disappearance. A taxi driver remembered seeing the man looking nervous and on edge.
He was carrying a duffel bag on a drive along a rural road. He briefly wandered into scrub.
The man said he knew nothing about her disappearance and was not involved. Before she disappeared, Butterfield had taken a new job at a supermarket.
Mental health services thought her condition had improved enough to close her file.
- June 1998
- Disappeared
- Mossman, Far North Queensland
- Location
- Three or four times in two months
- Arguments
- Colleen Brischetto
- Taxi operator
Why it mattersThe inquest will show whether Butterfield died and who might be responsible. It will also show whether police missed important leads in this cold case spanning nearly three decades.
AustraliaThe inquest may resolve a long-running Queensland disappearance and determine whether police investigation was thorough enough to warrant prosecution.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 6 d ago
