Brisbane kayaking tragedy ends in murder charge after a lengthy 4-year investigation

Laine Clark
AAP
A man has been arrested over the death of a woman during a kayaking trip almost five years ago.
A man has been arrested over the death of a woman during a kayaking trip almost five years ago. Credit: AAP

A man has been accused of murder and fraud more than four years after a woman died while kayaking.

The 55-year-old man, who now lives in Thailand, was arrested on Sunday while visiting Brisbane.

The woman, 54, drowned while kayaking with the man at Lake Samsonvale north of Brisbane in November 2020. The pair were known to each other.

Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.

Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.

Email Us
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.

The woman could not be revived when they returned to shore despite onlookers and emergency services performing CPR, and she died at the scene.

“Initially, the woman’s death appeared to be non-suspicious,” Queensland Police said in a statement.

However, a coronial inquiry led to detectives declaring it suspicious and launching Operation Victor Harlow.

The “complex and lengthy” probe gathered witness and expert statements, including information about the conditions of the lake at the time of the woman’s death.

“Police will allege the man was involved in the drowning death of the woman,” police said.

Stock file images of WA Police
Stock files of Western Australia Police
Stock file images of WA Police Stock files of Western Australia Police Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian

The man has been charged with murder, fraud and attempted fraud.

He was refused police bail and was to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.

“Incidents are not always what they initially seem, so I thank the detectives for their diligent work in this lengthy and arduous investigation,” Detective Acting Inspector Steve Windsor said.

“This is also an important reminder to the community to report any suspicious circumstances to police as you see them.

“Even if they seem insignificant, they may be an important piece to the puzzle in an investigation.”

Comments

Latest Edition

The Nightly cover for 03-05-2025

Latest Edition

Edition Edition 3 May 20253 May 2025

Defiant Anthony Albanese delivers Labor a historic landslide that wipes out Peter Dutton and the Coalition.