Josie Murray, the 75-year-old grandmother of four-year-old Gus Lamont, who vanished nearly a year ago from a sheep station in the Australian outback, has spoken publicly for the first time, revealing that police consider her the main suspect in his disappearance. In an interview with 7NEWS' Spotlight programme, Murray denied any involvement, calling the police theory 'ludicrous'.
Police Theory: Accidental Death and Cover-Up
Murray told Spotlight that police believe she accidentally caused Gus's death and then buried him to conceal it. 'They’ve said they don’t think I’ve hurt him, they think that I’ve buried him - that’s one of the theories they’re working on,' she said. She added, 'For so many reasons it’s ludicrous. It doesn’t make sense. Why would you do that to yourself?'
Gus Lamont's Disappearance
Gus was last seen playing outside his family's home at Oak Park Station near Yunta, South Australia, on the evening of September 27. Despite 11 large-scale searches of the property, no trace of him has been found. South Australia Police Commissioner Stevens stated in May that it was highly unlikely Gus wandered off, noting that 'not one single piece of evidence' from the extensive searches indicated that.
Grandmother's Abduction Theory
Murray believes Gus was abducted. She reported seeing strange tyre tracks on the property around the time he vanished and found a footprint near a dam that matched Gus's shoe, but claims police dismissed it. 'I started to think, almost immediately, I wonder if someone’s come in,' she said.
Previous Incident of Wandering
Murray also revealed that Gus had previously gone missing on the property. She described an incident where Gus wandered off while with his other grandmother, Shan, and could not be found for a time.
Police Statement
South Australia Police confirmed the investigation remains ongoing, with three lines of inquiry: wandering off, abduction, or involvement of a person known to Gus. Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke has provided regular updates due to intense public interest. No charges have been filed.
