An investigation into the disappearance and suspected death of a teenager has been rocked by a shocking new theory that he may have been kidnapped by cyclists.
Markiah Major, 17, was last seen at his home in the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire in far north Queensland on August 15 last year.
His mother raised the alarm two weeks later after he was unable to establish contact with his family or access his bank account.
Police and volunteers conducted extensive searches for the teenager but could not find any trace.
A coronial inquest in Cairns this week will hear evidence from witnesses to help provide answers and closure for Markiah’s heartbroken family.
The first witness, a juvenile who cannot be named, told the inquest on Monday that the teenager may have crossed paths with a motorcycle gang before his disappearance.
A coroner’s inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of 17-year-old Markiah Major (pictured) has revealed the teenager may have crossed paths with cyclists before disappearing.
The witness told the inquest that Markiah “was with the wrong people” and alleged that he had started using drugs in the months before his disappearance, Cairns Mail reported.
They also alleged that he was stealing vehicles at the time and had taken a “flashy” green car filled with large amounts of cash and drugs.
Days after Markiah disappeared, the witness claimed to have seen a photo of him on Instagram tied to a chair with blood on his head.
They remembered the post that contained a paragraph of text but couldn’t remember what was written.
Other witnesses called to the stand will be questioned about the presence of the car in Yarrabah four days after Markiah disappeared.
The car was not known in the small community of 2,500 inhabitants.
He was last seen unattended and parked next to a stream of spring water with an unknown person’s wallet inside before he was later taken away.
A witness told the inquest on Monday they had seen an image of Markiah (pictured) bloodied and tied to a chair posted on Instagram days after he disappeared.
Markiah’s mother told police at the time of her son’s disappearance that he had “gone out for a few days” in the past and she was hoping to hear from him.
Acting Detective Inspector Chetham said Markia’s mother “carried out her own inquiries” before approaching police, who then launched an investigation into her disappearance.
He added that the teenager did not talk about leaving the area and had no confrontations with his family or friends.
Specialized police, including diving equipment and a human remains detection dog, launched a third search in bushland south of the small town in November.
Despite extensive searches, police have yet to find any trace of the Markiah.
Police have yet to find any trace of the teenager despite several searches in bushland surrounding the town, including for diving equipment (pictured) and a human remains detection dog.
“The lack of contact with family and friends is really the red flag for us,” Inspector Chetham told the ABC at the time.
‘His mother tells us that he would surely have expected to have had contact much sooner. Markiah has been out a few days in a row in the past, but nothing like this, so it’s very unusual.’
He added that Markiah’s behavior was “pretty normal” before his disappearance.
Family, friends and community members attended a candlelight vigil last night on what would have been Markiah’s 18th birthday.
The three-day investigation continues.
