Outback killer dies, taking secret to the grave

A notorious Australian backpacker murderer has died without revealing where he put the remains of the man he killed in the outback.

Bradley John Murdoch, 67, succumbed to throat cancer on Tuesday after being moved from jail in June to a hospital in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, according to multiple media reports.

Murdoch was given a life sentence for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, 28, and the assault and the attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend Joanne Lees on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek in July 2001.

Ms Lees hid in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog, before she managed to flag down a truck driver.

Murdoch is believed to have hidden Mr Falconio's body, which has never been found despite extensive searches.

He died without revealing the site of the remains.

In June, NT Police announced an $A500,000 ($NZ547,000) reward for information leading to the discovery of Mr Falconio's remains.

Murdoch was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2019.