See where media hyperbole gets you?
Posted yesterday:
Police seek to identify far north SA remains
South Australian police say they cannot rule out the possibility that part of a man’s lower torso found in a dam in South Australia’s far north is that of missing British tourist Peter Falconio.
Police say an extensive search of the dam 35 kilometres south of Marla, which started this morning, has so far failed to turn up any clues to the man’s identity or cause of death.
Inspector Peter Batley says South Australian police have contacted Northern Territory police about the possibility of the remains belonging to Mr Falconio.
“Look, nothing’s ruled out and we’re coming into this with a very open mind, so we’re not going to discount one thing or another straight away,” he said.
“It’s very early days to tell, so I think at the moment until we can get the body parts back to Adelaide and conduct some further forensic testing, then we’ll know some more.
“But the sad reality about that is it will take some time.”
Inspector Batley says missing persons files will be checked in all states.
Following the release of the information, news stations around the country gleefully reopened and hyped up the old unsolved mystery of the missing English tourist, the oddly unemotional girlfriend, and the sadistic outback kidnapper, in a story which captured the national imagination, fuelled in no small part by media slut Martin Bashir’s latest smear-job coincidentally aired on television as recently as Sunday night. Then, the bubble burst. Posted just a few hours ago:
SA dam remains ‘not human’
South Australian police now say the remains found in a dam in South Australia’s remote north are not human.
The discovery of what was believed to be part of a man’s lower torso sparked speculation they could be those of missing British tourist Peter Falconio.
The remains, found on Wednesday, arrived in Adelaide just after 4:30pm ACST.
But South Australian police senior constable Brendan Evans says the investigation is now closed.
“South Australian police today have transported the remains from Marla to the forensic science centre in Adelaide where they were examined by a pathologist late this afternoon,” he said.
“The remains have been determined not to be human.
“As the remains are no longer being classed as human, the investigation is now closed.”
From the possible breakthrough evidence in the most contentious murder case in Australia since Lindy Chamberlain to mere rotting bit of animal carcass. Slight difference. Great ratings.
Meh, it’s Friday night and I’m too tired and full of Guinness to post anything particularly interesting or thought-provoking…
