A body found in a decomposed state next to an abandoned vehicle in New South Wales is believed to be that of Julian Ingram, the 37-year-old suspected of killing three people in Lake Cargelligo in January.
Police located the body at the Round Hill nature reserve on Monday, alongside a firearm. Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the body had apparently been there for some time and was believed to be Ingram, though formal identification is pending.
Ingram, also known as Julian Pierpoint, was on bail for alleged domestic violence offences when he allegedly shot and killed his former partner Sophie Quinn, who was seven months pregnant, her new boyfriend John Harris, 32, and her aunt Nerida Quinn, 50, on 22 January. He was last seen driving a Ford Ranger ute with council signage from the town.
A large-scale manhunt involving hundreds of police officers and a $250,000 reward had been under way. Holland said the discovery brings closure to the investigation and some solace to the community.
The cause of death is not yet known, and it is unclear if the firearm found with the body was the one used in the shootings. Police are also investigating how Ingram obtained the weapon and the decision to grant him bail two months before the alleged murders.
