<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Notorious outback </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/murder" rel="" target="" title="killer"><span>killer</span></a><span> Bradley John Murdoch died in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/hospitals" rel="" target="" title="hospital"><span>hospital</span></a><span> under the watch of prison guards, to the end refusing to say where he hid the body of the backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Today Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage will conduct a one-day public hearing in Alice Springs into Murdoch's death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Only representatives from the Northern Territory's corrections and health departments are set to give evidence.</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><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-weather-news-tropical-low-could-develop-into-cyclone-off-the-far-north-coast-by-the-end-of-the-week/22d36efb-98ef-470e-99de-fe9a23cda346" target="_blank"><strong><span>Warning Cyclone Narelle 'may be biggest weather system in living memory'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Murdoch died aged 67 from throat cancer on July 16 at the palliative care unit of Alice Springs Hospital in the NT.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was given a life sentence for murdering 28-year-old British backpacker Peter Falconio and the assault and attempted kidnapping of his girlfriend Joanne Lees, now 52, on the Stuart Highway near Barrow Creek in July 2001.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Murdoch had always denied his crimes and refused to reveal the whereabouts of Falconio's body.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/notorious-outback-murderer-john-bradley-murdoch-died-with-secret-peter-falconio/70b5cd82-bdee-4ed2-ae4c-ed6399cac466" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The backpacker was driving along the Stuart Highway with Lees when Murdoch drove up behind them and indicated they should pull over, saying their van might have an engine problem.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Falconio went behind the car with him to investigate and Lees heard a gunshot. Murdoch grabbed her, cable-tied her and covered her head.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/national-cabinet-meeting-oil-supply-shock-war-iran-anthony-albanese/82395f65-e5ca-402b-a627-4e4fe8e41db1" target="_blank"><strong><span>PM's blunt message for hoarders ahead of national cabinet meeting on fuel supply</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But she managed to escape and hid in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog, before she flagged down a truck driver.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Murdoch was arrested in November 2003 over Falconio's disappearance after a jury in South Australia acquitted him of raping and falsely imprisoning a 12-year-old girl.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The SA case allowed NT Police to obtain his DNA, which was later found on the makeshift handcuffs worn by Lees, as well as on her T-shirt, leading to his arrest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Falconio's parents in July expressed relief that Murdoch had died, saying "it's like a weight that's been lifted".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We didn't have much faith, but we were hoping Bradley John Murdoch would reveal where Peter was before he died," Luciano and Joan Falconio said in a statement at the time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But even now, we still hold out hope that his remains will be found."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A reward of up to $500,000 is available to anyone providing information that leads to the discovery of Falconio's remains.</span></div></div>