<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A devastated father has issued a public appeal after his son was found dead on the side of a highway in a small rural town.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mark Akers, 44, set off from Brisbane to Melbourne on June 15 and passed through Goondiwindi, Boggabilla and Forbes before he stopped in Jerilderie in southern New South Wales.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was last seen at a service station on Southey Street in Jerilderie about 2.30am the following day.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/judge-rejects-murderers-preposterous-defence-claim/9586eac2-088a-40dd-a9fe-d2e36e8de4b2" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Judge rejects murderer's 'preposterous' defence claim</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Akers' body was then found off Newell Highway, about 11km south of Jerilderie, about 12.35pm on June 17.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had suffered critical injuries, which police believe were caused by being hit by a car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police are investigating and are treating his death as suspicious.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-jerilderie-newell-highway-mark-akers-dad-seeks-answers/ca28b1b2-bf83-465d-a6a0-63e899300ad3" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Today, police released his identity and an image of the car he was travelling in to appeal to anyone who may have seen it, especially on the Newell Highway between Jerilderie and Finley during the early hours of June 16.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His car is described as a 2021-model 200 series black Toyota Landcruiser with distinctive pink stickers on the windscreen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/food-delivery-restaurant-boom/132c90db-52c0-4ca5-aefd-5377dbaf5da1" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Restaurants reaping the benefits of food delivery surge</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His father, John Akers, urged the public to help find answers for his family.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Mark was the kindest soul who would do anything for anyone and was sadly taken from us too soon," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are devastated by his passing and miss Mark terribly. We need a swift resolution and peace for Mark.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I would like to ask the public, or anyone, who perhaps witnessed anything unusual no matter how big or small, please contact the police."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anyone with information can contact Finley Police or Crime Stoppers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>