Northern Territory Police have suspended the search for a woman missing north of Alice Springs, but a criminal investigation into her suspicious disappearance will continue.
Key points:
- Angie Fuller, 30, was last seen along the Tanami Road north of Alice Springs
- Police say they are treating her disappearance as suspicious
- A search for her has now been suspended after 15 days
Angie Fuller, 30, was last seen on Monday, January 9, along the Tanami Road 15 kilometres west of the Stuart Highway turn off.
In a statement this morning, police said she was last seen at 6.40pm on the Monday driving a red Toyota Corolla. The vehicle was located 12 hours later but the mother-of-two has not been seen since.
She was reported missing on Wednesday, January 11 with police making their first call for public assistance two days later.
Assistant Commissioner Michael White said crews searched over 400 square kilometres of remote bushland looking for Ms Fuller but had found no trace of her.
“The search and rescue component has been suspended this morning however, police will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, which is being treated as suspicious,” he said.
“Police have spoken to all persons who are known to have last had contact with Angie.”
Corflute signs urging people to report any sightings of Ms Fuller will be placed around Alice Springs.
The statement is the first confirmation that police have been treating Ms Fuller’s disappearance as suspicious.
Mother-of-two’s whereabouts unknown
In the days after Ms Fuller disappearance, police said they undertook searches on foot and used all-terrain vehicles, drones and helicopters in the search.
They said they were hopeful of finding the mother-of-two alive after recent rains in the area replenished nearby groundwater supplies.
Assistant Commissioner White last Friday said police were investigating an alleged “incident” involving two vehicles, including Ms Fuller’s red Corolla.
He also revealed that authorities were running a criminal investigation into her disappearance in parallel with the search and rescue effort.
Ms Fuller’s father, Tony Fuller, spoke to the ABC last Tuesday, saying her disappearance was out of character and expressing a fear her chances of survival were dwindling as time passed.