The Leader can reveal the man accused of killing the 45-year-old before dumping his body, as well as the friend who is alleged to have hidden the deadly crime.
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THE man accused of killing a Bingara man nine years ago then dumping his body will front court again on Monday, alongside his friend who is accused of concealing the deadly crime.
The Leader can reveal Bruce Anthony Coss is charged with killing Darren Royce Willis after a night out at the Imperial Hotel in Bingara on December 10, 2010.
Detectives will allege in court on Monday that Coss, now aged 48, struck Mr Willis near his Bingara home, killing him, before dumping the 45-year-old's body at an unknown location. Mr Willis' remains still haven't been found.
Coss' friend, Robert James Stonestreet, is charged with concealing the murder all those years ago.
The men are behind bars after being denied bail in an out-of-sessions hearing in Moree Local Court on Saturday morning, just 24 hours after their arrests in Bingara.
On Friday, detectives also raided two Bingara homes, executing what they said were crime scene warrants, where they allege they found goods connected to the suspected murder.
Officers seized electronic devices, documentation and "other items relevant to the investigation", Superintendent Scott Tanner confirmed.
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The pair will front court on Monday, with Coss not required to enter a plea to the charge of murder. If found guilty, he faces a maximum of life behind bars.
Stonestreet is charged with one count of concealing a serious offence - a charge that carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.
Superintendent Tanner said police would push on with the investigation in a bid to find Mr Willis' remains. A $350,000 reward is still in place for answers in the case.
"While Darren's family may feel some relief today, the news is somewhat bittersweet because they still haven't been able to properly lay him to rest," he said.
"Strike Force Barca will now focus on providing those final answers to his family."
The strike force was set-up in 2018 after a breakthrough in the cold-case missing persons investigation. Police said new evidence had emerged, leading officers to believe someone had been involved in Mr Willis' disappearance, and that he had been murdered.
Superintendent Tanner said the community information that had been uncovered in the case had been crucial, and helped culminate in the arrests.
"Along with local police, the Bingara community has been heavily invested in finding out what happened to Darren, and we've received lots of information, which has proven invaluable to our investigation," he said.
"Without their support and the meticulous work of Moree detectives, I don't think we would be where we are today: two people before the courts."
