Simone Strobel inquest: Lismore locals scrutinised by Tobias Moran’s lawyers in 2005 backpacker death

A colourful line-up of “unsavoury” Lismore locals have been named as possible suspects in the murder of a German backpacker 19 years ago, including one man who allegedly confessed to the slaying.

On the third day of the inquest into the 2005 murder of Simone Strobel, Lidcombe Coroners Court in Sydney heard evidence of local characters who were in the vicinity the night she was killed.

They were named and included sexual assaulters, armed robbers, alcoholics and drug takers who would “lurk in a certain area” waiting for potential victims to pass by.

Some witness statements read to court recounted seeing a woman matching Ms Strobel’s appearance inadvertently walking towards the area where these men would gather, near a stormwater drain and an abandoned bocce court where her body was eventually found.

At least two witnesses heard a woman scream “leave me alone” in English, in that particular part of the northern NSW city described as a “high risk area” and “a dangerous place for a woman to go unaccompanied”.

The evidence challenges police suspicions that her German boyfriend and now Perth local Toby Moran (nee Tobias Suckfuell) murdered her in their campervan in a nearby caravan park before her body was carried and dumped at the bocce court.

High-profile barrister Tim Game SC, representing Mr Moran, raised several “plausible” alternate narratives that he said were backed by witness statements, including the scream coming from outside the German’s camp site area.

He questioned why Ms Strobel, who was overheard arguing in German with Mr Moran the night she was murdered, would scream out in English unless it was at someone other than Mr Moran.

He also questioned the thoroughness of the police case, which just locked on to his client.

One Lismore suspect placed at the scene at the time of her murder apparently told another “he was sorry he didn’t mean to hurt that girl”, before shaving his head and moving to Nimbin “for a new start” after her body was found. Another witness heard another man brag that he killed her, then moved to Queensland the next day while a third person of interest moved to another NSW city.

But head of the Strobel investigation NSW Police Detective Sergeant Dave Mackie did not accept some claims as credible, saying odd people did and said odd things.

He had earlier given evidence about mental health challenges and supposed recollections affected by heavy drug and alcohol abuse of some of those who gave police statements.

Ms Strobel, a kindergarten teacher, was murdered on February 11, 2005, and her body found six days later, stripped naked and dumped in the disused bocce court about 100m from the Lismore Tourist Caravan Park.

The 25-year-old German backpacker was on a one-year road trip holiday in Australia with her boyfriend Tobias when they were joined in Lismore by his sister Katrin Suckfuell and friend Jens Martin.

Mr Moran, who would later marry into the wealthy Moran family from City Beach in Perth, was charged in 2022 with Ms Strobel’s murder but the charges was later dropped.

In earlier evidence Wednesday, the court was told of the lengths NSW Police went to make a case against Mr Moran.

The court was told an undercover policewoman codenamed “Sophie” approached Mr Moran at his Perth home with an elaborate story about her brother with cancer. The court heard that “Sophie” said her brother had only two months to live and would volunteer to “confess” to the murder so the family could collect the NSW Police $1 million reward.

She said she could give Mr Moran an alibi if he supported the plot.

But he rejected the offer declaring it wouldn’t help him nor identify the true killer of his former girlfriend.

Det Sgt Mackie told the court the ruse failed as he believed, based on other covert listening devices of conversations between Mr Moran and his wife Samantha Moran, they realised there was likely a police operation on him.

The hearing continues this week.