Man charged with murder of missing Toowoomba mum, Jana Armstrong
Updated ,first published
A man has been charged with murder after the body believed to be that of a missing mother was found by pig hunters on Saturday night following a desperate search for days in Brisbane’s west.
Toowoomba woman Jana Armstrong, 30, was declared missing on Tuesday and her four-month-old son was found at her home in suburban Newtown. He is currently with family members.
Her car was found unlocked Wednesday morning, “basically parked in the middle of the road.” According to Acting Detective Inspector Brian Collins.
On Saturday morning, Armstrong’s sister, Faith Isaacs, took to social media to ask the public to help with the search near Preston Road in a rural area south of Toowoomba.
The remains believed to be Armstrong’s were found just after 10.30pm on Saturday near Esk Hampton Road in the north-east of the city.
Collins said the remains were found by members of the public hunting wild boar in an area that had not attracted police attention so far during the search.
“It’s pretty rugged terrain and pretty steep terrain,” he said.
Police later searched a home in Newtown’s neighboring suburb of Harristown, where they detained a 48-year-old man and charged him with domestic violence murder.
After police discovered Armstrong’s abandoned car Wednesday morning, Collins said the man was found at his home with his four-month-old baby.
At that time, he was brought to the police station for questioning, but was released without any charges.
Investigators have appealed for anyone with dashcam footage or CCTV that may show Armstrong’s white Hyundai Kona (registration 273ZHQ) to get in touch.
“Police are looking for anyone who was in the area between Toowoomba and the Esk, specifically on the New England Highway and Esk Hampton Road, between 10.30pm on July 7 and 1.30am on July 8,” Collins said.
He said police believe the man was carrying Armstrong’s body to his car.
The man is expected to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
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