In a chilling revelation on the Daily Mail's The Trial Australia podcast, reporter Karleigh Smith has highlighted a sinister detail from last week's bombshell press conference by South Australia Police regarding the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont. Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke announced that, following the largest search operation in South Australian history, investigators are now treating the case as a major crime investigation.
Suspect Identified and Ruled Out Parents
Police confirmed that a suspect has been identified in connection with the missing boy's disappearance. They revealed this suspect lived at the family's remote sheep station property in Yunta, South Australia, but explicitly ruled out both of Gus's parents, Jessica Murray and Josh Lamont. Gus vanished on September 27, 2025, after his grandmother Josie Murray last saw him playing on a mound of dirt at their property around 5pm.
Sinister Implications from Police Response
During the press conference, Smith, who has followed the case since Gus first went missing, noted that one response by Fielke to a journalist's question raised alarming implications. Smith explained: 'A reporter asked whether it was possible that Gus was still on the property, in whatever form, when police started the search for him.' Police essentially admitted that yes, there was a possibility Gus might have still been there that night when they were first called around 9pm, as they began their extensive search.
Massive Search Operation Deployed
After an initial sweep of the surrounding areas the night Gus disappeared, South Australia Police oversaw a huge search operation spanning months. The Australian Defence Force alongside Aboriginal trackers were deployed to trawl through an arid, rural area roughly the size of the city of Adelaide. Three dams were drained and six mineshafts were searched, some reaching twenty meters deep.
No Trace Found Despite Efforts
During the press conference, police reiterated that despite their best efforts, no trace of Gus has been found. The sheer scale of the failed search operation seemingly confirmed suspicions of foul play. Smith commented: 'I have always said there’s just no way there was no sign of him in the Outback. A little boy needs to use the toilet - Gus vanished wearing a hat, he must have lost it out there. Nothing about this made sense.'
She added: 'I thought this change of direction in the case might have come sooner. Obviously, the police were going through quite a lot of data from all the searches to make sure their case was watertight.' The case remains a major crime investigation as authorities continue to pursue leads.
