A farmer has been charged after allegedly murdering teenager Shyanne-Lee Tatnell
The father of a farmer accused of murdering Tasmanian teenager Shyanne-Lee Tatnell has broken his silence on his son’s dramatic arrest.
Chris Jordan, 36, allegedly ran into Shyanne-Lee, 14, while she was walking alone through the streets of Launceston on the night of April 30 and drove the teenager back to her property in Scottsdale, a 40-mile drive to the northeast through rural terrain.
He then allegedly murdered her before dumping her body in a remote bush 15 km away in Nabowla.
The teen’s remains were found Wednesday and Jordan was charged with murder Thursday.
Hours after Jordan’s first appearance at Launceston Magistrate Court on Friday, where he was held in custody until next month, his father Allan Jordan and sister Narelle Peters visited the farmer’s property to carry out maintenance.
When approached by Daily Mail Australia, Jordan said he could not comment on the situation, but admitted his son’s arrest has been hard on the family.
Allan Jordan, the father of Chris Jordan, who has been charged with murder, turns up on his son’s property.
Jordan and his daughter Narelle Peters visited the farmer’s property to perform maintenance.
Mr. Jordan was seen doing work at the home of his son, who is now in custody charged with murder.
“Yeah, it hasn’t been pretty,” he said.
Moments earlier, Jordan could be seen adjusting an automatic sensor on a flood light attached to the home’s front porch as his stressed-out daughter paced outside talking on the phone.
While at his son’s home, Mr. Jordan also walked around the fence lines, trimming the grass and any overhanging weeds.
Cows seen grazing in the front paddock while police were searching the property on Thursday had been moved to another area at the rear of the property.
Meanwhile, Chris Jordan’s three large dogs that had been taken off the premises during the police operation were fenced off in front of the house.
Chris bought the sprawling property 14 years ago and, according to locals, had lived there with his wife and son until the marriage ended.
News of Chris’ arrest has shaken the small, tight-knit community of Scottsdale, which is home to just over 2,300 residents.
Farmer Chris Jordan has been charged in the murder of Shyanne-Lee
Chris Jordan, 36, allegedly ran into Shyanne-Lee while she was walking alone through the streets of Launceston on the night of April 30 and brought the teen to his property in Scottsdale.
Locals said they cannot believe their neighbor could be at the center of such serious accusations.
A neighbor told Daily Mail Australia that he was shocked by the ‘terrible’ news, as his encounters with Chris had always been pleasant.
“I hit my butt when I heard it,” he said. “I got along with him, I never had a problem with him.”
It comes as Shyanne-Lee’s mother, Bobbi-Lee Ketchell, shared a devastating post about the loss of her daughter on Friday night.
Police are seen searching Chris Jordan’s property in Scottsdale
Ms. Ketchell also tragically lost her son Xavier in late 2012 due to a rare genetic condition he suffered from.
“Heaven has now won two of my beautiful children, I cannot explain my anguish and pain at this moment,” he wrote on Facebook.
‘Her wings were ready but my heart was not. My girl I will stay strong and I will continue to be your voice, protecting you was something I could not do or save you.
You were taken away from me in the worst way possible. I feel blessed to have been your mother and to have you coming home with me, but not in the way she expected.
‘A part of my heart went with you, it will never be whole again. You will be dancing and hugging your brother taking care of us this I know.
‘It’s not goodbye. One day I will hold you both in my arms again.’
The desperate search for Shyanne-Lee Tatnell (pictured) took a tragic turn Wednesday when her remains were found in the bushes.
Northern Tasmania Police Commander Kate Chambers would not confirm the status of the remains found during a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m not going to talk about the state of the remains,” he said.
“Shyanne-Lee’s family must be going through a very traumatic time right now and I just want to express my condolences to them.”
Commander Chambers did not say whether Chris Jordan had been a person of interest during the investigation or whether he was known to police.
The commander was also asked about previous reports that Shyanne-Lee feared she was being followed for a week before she went missing.
“Every piece of information that was provided to us or that we created has been investigated in terms of investigative techniques,” he said.
Shyanne-Lee, who would have turned 15 on August 8, disappeared after leaving her mother’s home in Burnie, northwest Tasmania, after a series of fights.
She moved in with her grandmother, who lived nearby, but then left to stay at a youth center in Launceston and was there for two weeks before disappearing.
