Murder of Tiahleigh Palmer

Tiahleigh Alyssa Rose Palmer (sometimes known as Tia or Tiah) was a 12-year-old Australian girl who lived in Logan City, Queensland.[1] She was murdered on 30 October 2015. Her remains were found six days later and her foster father, Rick Thorburn, was charged on 20 September 2016 with her murder. Thorburn pleaded guilty to the murder before the Supreme Court of Queensland on 25 May 2018.[2]

Murder of Tiahleigh Palmer
Palmer's friends and family carry her coffin at her funeral. Her killer, Rick Thorburn, is the second pallbearer from the left.
DateMurdered 30 October 2015
Remains found 5 November 2015
Remains identified 6 November 2015
LocationLogan, Queensland, Australia
Tiahleigh Palmer
Palmer in her school uniform
Born
Tiahleigh Alyssa Rose Palmer

2002/2003
Died30 October 2015 (aged 12)
Chambers Flat
Body discoveredKerkin Road North Pimpama River

Disappearance and death

Palmer's foster father said he drove her to Marsden State High School on 30 October 2015. She did not attend any classes and was not seen for the rest of the day. On 5 November, police released photos and appealed to the public for information on her whereabouts in a press conference.[3] Later that day, the remains of a female aged 12–18 were found on the bank of the Pimpama River and, on 6 November, they were officially identified as Palmer's. Police then began a search for her backpack and school uniform.[4] On 7 November, a vigil was held in Logan and, on 14 November, her funeral was held and attended by more than 600 people.[5][6]

On 4 December 2015, a shoe believed to be Palmer's was found near where her body was discovered.[7] Police conducted many interviews, searched the area around the Pimpama River and forensically examined a number of houses and vehicles. The investigation failed to find her missing backpack and school uniform.[8][9]

Criminal proceedings

Palmer's foster father, Rick Thorburn, was a person of interest to police from the earliest days of the investigation. The Thorburns fostered no more children after Palmer's disappearance, but continued to run a daycare service from their home until April 2016 when the state's education and child safety departments were advised by police that Rick Thorburn was facing nine serious charges unrelated to Palmer, and the family's daycare approval was revoked and their foster care approval was suspended.[10]

In September 2016 a car formerly owned by Rick Thorburn was seized by police for forensic examination and, on 20 September 2016, Palmer's foster parents and their two sons were taken into police custody for questioning. Rick Thorburn was charged with Palmer's murder and with interfering with a corpse. He collapsed shortly after his arrest and was subsequently placed in an induced coma for several days, missing a scheduled court appearance the next day. Police suspect he took pills just before or after his arrest, in a suicide attempt.[11]

Palmer's 19-year-old foster brother, Trent, was charged with two counts of perjury and one count each of attempting to pervert the course of justice and incest, and was denied bail.[12][13] Her foster mother, Julene, and older foster brother, Joshua, were both charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice and released on bail.

Palmer's grandmother has told reporters that, months before she died, Palmer had declined an option to move in with her mother because she had a crush on Trent, and because she loved the horses on the Thorburn property. In a court hearing on 21 September 2016 prosecutors said that, two days before her death, Trent confessed to a cousin that he had had sex with Palmer on the previous Monday, and that she had told his mother about it.[14][15] The court also heard that, shortly before her death, Palmer had told a friend that Trent would have sex with her when his parents were out, and she had told her foster mother about the abuse.[16]

On 23 September 2016, investigators began excavating the Thorburns' rural property in a search for evidence.[17] Rick Thorburn said nothing to investigators, but Julene and Joshua both made statements to police.[18] On 10 October, Julene's and Joshua's lawyer told a court they would plead guilty to all charges and had agreed to be witnesses for the prosecution.[19][20] In March 2018 it was reported that Rick Thorburn intended to plead guilty to Palmer's murder,[21] and he did so formally before the Supreme Court on 25 May 2018.[2] He was then sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for at least 20 years.[22]

In July 2017, Joshua Thorburn was sentenced to three months in jail for lying to police and hiding information about Palmer's death.[23] Trent Thorburn was sentenced to four years in jail for incest, perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice in September 2017[24] and released on 19 January 2018 after spending 16 months in custody.[25] In November 2017, Julene Thorburn was sentenced to 18 months in jail for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.[26]

References
  1. "Tiahleigh Palmer: Police say those involved in 12yo's death 'should not feel comfortable'". ABC. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  2. Horn, Allyson; Silva, Kristian (25 May 2018). "Tiahleigh Palmer's killer foster father Rick Thorburn played 'role of concerned parent'". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  3. Koubaridis, Andrew (12 November 2015). "Police handling of the Tiahleigh Palmer case under scrutiny". News.com.au. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  4. "Timeline: The discovery of Tiahleigh Palmer's body and investigation into her suspected murder". ABC. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  5. Silva, Kristian (14 November 2015). "Tiahleigh Palmer: Crowds gather for 12-year-old's funeral in Logan". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  6. Burke, Liz (23 September 2016). "The foster father charged over Tiahleigh Palmer's murder". Herald Sun. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  7. "Muddy shoe found in Tiahleigh Palmer case". Sky News Australia. 5 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  8. "Tiahleigh Palmer: Detectives continue to examine Logan house in murdered schoolgirl case". 9 News Australia. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  9. "Tiahleigh Palmer: Detectives continue to examine Logan house in murdered schoolgirl case". MSN Australia. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  10. Geoff Chambers (22 September 2016). "Rick Thorburn kept foster care licence". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  11. "Ethical standards investigate collapse of Tia's accused killer". abc.net.au. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  12. "Tiahleigh Palmer death: Foster father Rick Thorburn charged with murder". ABC News. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  13. Branco, Jorge (20 September 2016). "Tiahleigh Palmer murder investigation: Foster father charged with murder". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  14. Branco, Jorge (21 September 2016). "Tiahleigh Palmer's foster brother 'told cousin he had sex with her', court hears". Brisbane times. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  15. Burke, Liz. "Toxic relationship between murdered Tiahleigh Palmer and brother revealed". News.com.au. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  16. "Toxic relationship before Tia's death". NewsComAu. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  17. "Tiahleigh Palmer: Police excavate home of accused murderer, foster father Rick Thorburn". ABC News. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  18. Stephens, Kim (24 September 2016). "Little girl lost: On the trail of Tiahleigh Palmer's killer". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  19. Tiahleigh Palmer: Former foster mother, brother to plead guilty to perjury over 12yo schoolgirl's death, ABC News, 10 October 2016
  20. Schaefer, Timothy (10 October 2016). "Tiahleigh Palmer's foster family turn on accused killer father". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  21. "Tiahleigh Palmer death: Rick Thorburn to plead guilty to murder, lawyer says". news.com.au. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  22. "Tiahleigh Palmer's foster father jailed for life for 'callous' murder and cover-up". abc.net.au. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  23. "Tiahleigh's foster brother jailed for lies after pact at secret family meeting". abc.net.au. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  24. "Tiahleigh Palmer's foster brother gets four years' jail for incest, perjury". abc.net.au. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  25. "Foster brother jailed for incest with slain schoolgirl is released". 19 January 2018 – via The Sydney Morning Herald.
  26. Petrinec, Melanie (3 November 2017). "Tiahleigh Palmer's foster mother pleads guilty to perjury, attempting to pervert course of justice charges". news.com.au. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
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