A murder suspect has been formally accused seven months following the tragic discovery of a deceased mother in the Brisbane River.
Crystal Beale, a resident of Brisbane, Australia, was found lifeless in the Brisbane River in Yeronga, a city suburb, at 5:40 a.m. on February 22 by a member of the public.
The events leading up to Crystal’s untimely demise trace back to a dinner she shared with her former partner and son in the southern region of Brisbane. The trio parted ways around 9:30 p.m. when Crystal disembarked from a vehicle in Brisbane’s West End.
Surveillance footage captured Crystal, aged 49, wearing beige sandals and a white dress at a restaurant, marking her final appearance before the tragic incident.
After an extensive investigation spanning seven months, a man has been charged by detectives from Dutton Park Criminal Investigations Branch and the Homicide Investigation Unit with the alleged murder of the 49-year-old victim.
Authorities initiated “Operation Xray Saba” to unravel the events leading to Crystal’s alleged murder and shed light on her life preceding the tragic incident.
According to a police statement, Crystal left a family gathering at a Sunnybank restaurant with a 49-year-old man from West End, known to her, on the evening of February 21. The last reported sighting of Crystal was when she exited the vehicle at 9:30 p.m. on Ryan Street, West End.
The investigative efforts included analyzing over a thousand hours of CCTV footage and issuing multiple appeals for information to attain justice for Crystal.
The police allege that the man from West End, aged 49, murdered Crystal and disposed of her body in the Brisbane River. Following detailed investigations, a search warrant was executed at an address on Equestrian Drive in Maudsland, resulting in the arrest of the suspect on charges of murder and misconduct with a corpse.
Detective Inspector Wayne Francis emphasized the profound impact of such offenses on families and communities, expressing determination to provide closure to Crystal’s loved ones through relentless investigative work. The suspect is expected to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court.