Bingara murder: Police complete search of Eagle Hawk Reserve in Darren Willis murder investigation | Update

Divers, forensic police and operational support group (OSG) – the force’s specially-trained land searches – packed up on Tuesday afternoon after combing more than a 1km of the riverbank in the Eaglehawk Reserve, or Four Mile area, as its known to locals.

The officers were searching for the remains of Mr Willis and clues into the murder of the 45-year-old who disappeared in December 2010.

On Tuesday night, New England Detective Inspector Ann Joy told Fairfax Media the search had been completed.

“In terms of the search process, we located items that were forensically examined during the course of the search,” she said. 

“Those items were located in both the waterway and on the riverbank.

“What items they were I can't comment on that because that’s part of our investigation, but I can confirm the items were forensically examined at the scene and investigations continue.

“Police managed to cover the search ground that we had intended through the course of the day, and that search of the Eaglehawk Reserve has now been completed.”

Police believe Mr Willis met with foul play after he was last seen leaving the Imperial Hotel in Maitland Street, Bingara, on the night of December 10, 2010. His body has never been found.

The search for remains come just a week after they announced a $350,000 reward for information leading to a murder conviction for Mr Willis’ death.

“We have made a number of appeals to the public for information and as a result of information received we are conducting those search operations,” Detective Inspector Joy said.

“So Tuesday's search is a forensic search for evidentiary material, it will involve officers from the Marine Area Command’s diving unit, some personnel operational support group (OSG) specialists in terms of land search techniques and our local district staff.”

Strike Force Barka is investigating the death and is being led by New England detectives and is following a number of leads.

“We have received information that is most certainly of assistance to investigators and we're currently working on all those lines of inquiry at this point,” Detective Inspector Joy said.

Detective Inspector Joy again appealed for public help, confirming investigators believe some locals are hiding information on what happened to Mr Willis.

“Most certainly there are members of the public that can provide information that will assist us to an outcome to identify and arrest a person responsible for his disappearance,” she said.

“Darren's family are keen to see a resolution to this particular investigation.

“We are interested in any person that may have information that may assist us.”

POLICE divers are scouring a waterway outside of Bingara as the search ramps up for murdered man Darren Willis.

Officers are searching for the remains of the 45-year-old who police believe was killed sometime after he left a Bingara hotel in December 2010.

New England Detective Inspector Ann Joy told media on Tuesday morning police were searching the area in the Eaglehawk Reserve, about 10km out of Bingara, also known as Four Mile.

“We have made a number of appeals to the public for information and as a result of information received we are conducting those search operations today,” she said.

Police believe Mr Willis met with foul play after he was last seen leaving the Imperial Hotel in Maitland Street, Bingara, on the night of December 10, 2010.

Now the search for remains come just a week after they announced a $350,000 reward for information leading to a murder conviction for Mr Willis’ death.

“So today's search is a forensic search for evidentiary material, it will involve officers from the Marine Area Command’s diving unit, some personnel operational support group (OSG) specialists in terms of land search techniques and our local district staff,” Detective Inspector Joy said.

“They will conduct a search of both the waterways and then adjoining riverbanks.”

Strike Force Barka is investigating the death and is being led by New England detectives and is following a number of leads.

“We have received information that is most certainly of assistance to investigators and we're currently working on all those lines of inquiry at this point,” Detective Inspector Joy said.

The search is expected to take much of the day, with several police deployed to the riverbank and the bushland on Tuesday morning.

Detective Inspector Joy again appealed for public help, confirming investigators believe some locals are hiding information on what happened to Mr Willis.

“Most certainly there are members of the public that can provide information that will assist us to an outcome to identify and arrest a person responsible for his disappearance,” she said on Tuesday.

“Darren's family are keen to see a resolution to this particular investigation.

“We are interested in any person that may have information that may assist us.”

Police said Mr Willis was reported missing in early-2011 when his next of kin feared for his welfare after he disappeared and didn’t come home.

A MAJOR search will get under way on Tuesday as the investigation into the suspected murder of a Bingara man deepens.

Detectives believe Darren ‘Spaz’ Willis was killed in late-2010 and extra police resources will scour an area near the town on Tuesday as they try and piece together what happened to him.

Police are remaining tight-lipped on the details surrounding the search which is being led by Strike Force Barca – the police operation set-up by New England detectives in 2018 to investigate the murder of the 45-year-old almost eight years ago.

“Information has been received as a result of our appeals to the public,” New England Detective Inspector Ann Joy told Fairfax Media. 

“And as a result we are conducting search operations on Tuesday.” 

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Last week, police announced a $350,000 reward for any information that leads to a conviction for Mr Willis’ murder.

Mr Willis was last seen leaving the Imperial Hotel in Bingara on December 10, 2010, but what happened next is part of the puzzle being unravelled by New England detectives.

Police believe he met with foul play but his body has never been found.

Police said last week they had reason to believe people were hiding information on what happened in December 2010, after Mr Willis disappeared.

Anyone with information on Mr Willis’ disappearance or murder is urged to contact New England detectives or Crime Stoppers.