Murder hunt after missing man’s body identified
Police say the death of a 53-year-old man reported missing in March and whose body was found near Williamstown in July with “significant injuries” is a suspected murder.
Major Crime Detective Inspector Brett Featherby told reporters a short time ago that police were treating the death of Modbury North man Ian Lees as a suspected murder.
He said Lees was last seen at 2.48am on March 1 this year walking north on Fairleigh Avenue at Modbury North, with a family member reporting him missing three days later.
Police say DNA testing has confirmed the body of a man found by a bushwalker on July 26 at Hale Conservation Park near Williamstown was Lees.
“It’s evident to us from our investigation to date that Ian had suffered significant physical injuries and as a result of that, and due to the circumstance of his disappearance, the location as to where his body was located, and the injuries received, his disappearance has now been declared a major crime as a suspected murder,” Featherby said.
“The investigation is in its infancy.
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“We’re current searching Ian’s home address in relation to a suspected murder, but at this time I won’t comment further on that for operational reasons.”
Featherby said Lees’ phone was found at Civic Park Modbury opposite Tea Tree Plaza by council workers.
He said his backpack, wallet, keys and thongs were located in bushes in the reserve at the end of Fairleigh Avenue at Modbury North.
“It would appear at this time that nothing has been stolen and they were just left there at that location,” he said.
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“Ian has made no access to his bank accounts. A deposit was made to his bank account on the 8th of March that has not been accessed.
“We’ve canvassed all taxis, Ubers, and public transport in the area around the time of his disappearance and to date we have no leads or don’t believe he’s actually left that area in any of those modes of transport.”
Featherby declined to say how Lees’ injuries occurred and said police didn’t know where Lees died or how he ended up at Hale Conservation Park.
He said police believed Lees had been at the park for a “significant time” before the bushwalker found him.
“It would be months,” he said.
Lees was described as a “very social person” with a large friendship group, “good family support” and a keen interest and knowledge of football.
“That is one, I suppose, theory that we need to actually identify as to whether he has had an argument prior to his disappearance,” Featherby said.
Police are urging anyone that has information leading up to Lees’ death to ring Crime Stoppers.
They have requested dashcam footage from anyone who was on Ladywood Road, Fairleigh Avenue, Montague Road
and North East Road between 5pm on February 27 and 9am on March 1.
Police are also seeking dashcam footage from anyone who might have been in the vicinity of Warren Road at Williamstown near Hale Conservation Park between 3am on March 1 and March 7.
