NEW information has seen efforts to locate missing Balranald footballer Jeremiah ‘Jayo’ Rivers resume in a previously unsearched area of south-west Queensland.
Last week’s search was the first major search in two years, after the 27-year-old was last seen about 20 kilometres from the remote Queensland town of Noccundra (near the South Australian border, due west of Cunnamulla) in October 2021.
Mr Rivers and six companions had travelled to the area for what was reported to be a pig-hunting trip, before he was last seen walking away from the group’s Wippo Creek campsite.
The group had defied COVID-19 border closures at the time to cross into Queensland after leaving from Balranald.
Detectives declared the disappearance to be suspicious and said they received conflicting information from the men Mr Rivers was travelling with.
Original searches were called off after a week, with police estimating Mr Rivers had a timeframe for survival of only seven days.
A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said the latest search had concluded on Tuesday but wouldn’t release further information on whether anything of interest had been located.
Police also would not elaborate on they information they had received that pointed to the new search area.
“Approximately 20 personnel are involved in the search, including QPS and SES volunteers,” the spokesperson said.
“As the matter is currently the subject of a coronial inquest, it would be inappropriate for any further comment to be provided at this time.”
The coronial inquest into Mr Rivers’ disappearance began in Brisbane last June.
The inquest, before Coroner Donald MacKenzie, has considered four issues: whether Mr Rivers is deceased, and if so how, when and where he died, as well as the exact circumstances.
It has also considered whether or not the actions of any other person contributed to his death, or disposal of his body, and the adequacy of the police investigation into Mr Rivers’ disappearance.
A Coroners Court of Queensland spokesperson verified Queensland police had conducted the fresh search for Mr Rivers.
“The CCQ confirms that police are currently conducting a search of a large area which was not the subject of the initial search area,” they said.
“This is following receipt of information which was not initially provided during the original search and rescue and investigation.
“As such, no further information will be provided at this time.”
Late last year, the inquest heard the missing man’s cousin had received a phonecall from Mr Rivers the night before his disappearance in which Mr Rivers pleaded for help.
Matthew Peris told police that Mr Rivers begged him to pick him up from the campsite following a physical altercation with one of the men he was camping with.
But the man alleged to have been involved in the altercation and one of the trip’s organisers, Joe Joe Kantilla-Gaden, disputed the claims of a fistfight having occurred.
Instead, Mr Kantilla-Gaden said he had attempted to stop Mr Rivers leaving the campsite as he hadn’t slept in days, drinking alcohol and smoking methamphetamine.
Mr Kantilla-Gaden told the inquest he and the group had searched throughout the night for Mr Rivers before being intercepted by police with his companion Matthew Moore.
The pair were then escorted 200km to the NSW border by police for breaching COVID-19 protocols.
The coronial inquest is currently adjourned until a date to be finalised, and will return for findings.
