No charges will be filed in the disappearance of a man who disappeared from a small inland town without a trace almost seven years ago.
Irish-born Paddy Moriarty, 70, and his red kelpie cross Kellie were last seen leaving the Pink Panther Hotel in Larrimah, Northern Territory, on December 16, 2017.
Moriarty, who had been involved in a dispute with his nearest neighbours, was heading home 280 meters from the pub.
Only 12 people lived in the town at the time of her disappearance and the population has since dropped to just seven.
Interest in the case was revived after HBO created a documentary called ‘Last Stop Larrimah,’ which will be shown on Netflix in 2023.
In a major update to the unsolved case, the Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced on Wednesday that he will not press charges.
No charges will be laid over the disappearance and suspected death of Paddy Moriarty, the Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions announced on Wednesday.
Paddy Moriarty, 70, and his red kelpie cross Kellie were last seen leaving the Pink Panther Hotel in the Northern Territory town of Larrimah on the afternoon of December 16, 2017.
“The Public Prosecution Service has determined that there is insufficient evidence to bring charges against any person in relation to the disappearance of Paddy Moriarty,” he said.
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office will not provide any further comment at this time.”
In April 2022, NT coroner Greg Cavanagh referred the suspected death to the Crown Prosecution Service after finding Mr Moriarty’s disappearance was likely the result of criminal offences.
Cavanagh said Moriarty’s death “could not be determined.”
“In my opinion, Paddy was murdered in the context of and probably due to the ongoing dispute he was having with his closest neighbours,” his conclusions read.
“He probably died on the night of December 16, 2017.”
Following this week’s announcement, NT Police said they would continue to investigate the death with a $250,000 reward for information offered.
Police immediately suspected foul play when Moriarty disappeared and installed recording devices in local man Owen Laurie’s home within two weeks.
In 2022, an investigation heard alleged recordings from Laurie’s home in Larrimah.
“The fucker killed Paddy, hit him in the head,” a voice was heard saying.
‘I hit him in the fucking nostrils with my hammer’ and ‘I killed old Paddy… I hit him in the fucking head and I killed the bastard… I beat him up’.
Mr Laurie denied that the voice was his.
He had worked as a caretaker and gardener for Frances Hodgetts and lived on her property where she ran Fran’s Teahouse, opposite Moriarty’s house.
Police immediately suspected foul play when Moriarty (pictured) disappeared.
Moriarty, who had been involved in a dispute with his closest neighbors in the town, was heading home 280 meters from his local pub (pictured) when he disappeared.
In a major update to the cold case, the Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced on Wednesday that he will not press any charges.
Hodgetts, who has since left Larrimah, allegedly had a long dispute with Moriarty, whom he suspected of repeatedly poisoning his plants, the investigation heard.
The inquest heard she had warned Moriarty, saying: “If anyone touches my garden it will be the first murder in Larrimah.”
The unsolved case inspired the Netflix documentary Last Stop, the television show Last Stop Larrimah, and the award-winning podcast Lost in Larrimah.
Mr. Moriarty’s house sold for $32,000 at auction on May 7.
The run-down fibro house in Larrimah, located on the Stuart Highway, 498km south of Darwin and 999km north of Alice Springs, was sold as-is.
Auctioneer Daniel Harris hoped his connection to the famous cold case might spark an unlikely bidding war, but there was little interest.
It was eventually sold to a South Australian couple who bid over the phone.
Mr. Moriarty’s disappearance from such a small community sparked wild rumors of murder and a gruesome end.
Stories about how it ended up in local handmade pies, or in the belly of Sneaky Sam, the Pink Panther’s resident crocodile, have revolved around mystery.
