Missing man riddle solved

QUEENSLAND police have solved a 13-year mystery, confirming the body of a man found in a car in Borumba Dam in March is that of missing Tasmanian man Stuart Gatehouse.

The car was discovered by fisherman Terry Allwood on his depth sounder during the Basstasstic fishing tournament on March 25.

“I saw the shape of it on the panel and went: ‘Sh.., that’s a car’,” Mr Allwood told the Sunshine Coast Daily.

He thought the car had been stolen and dumped in the dam, but when police divers inspected it, skeletal remains were found inside. Forensic testing has confirmed the re- mains were of Mr Gatehouse.

Mr Gatehouse was living in Kenilworth in 2004 when he and his red Holden VL Commodore vanished on the way to Gympie in April.

The missing person case baffled Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch officer-in-charge Daren Edwards.

“The fact that the car has completely disappeared and has never been located is quite strange,” Senior Sergeant Edwards said at the time.

Mr Gatehouse was reported missing to Tasmania Police by his father Kevin Gatehouse.

He knew Stuart was living at Kenilworth and was planning to drive to Gympie and on to Maryborough to visit his brother, but never arrived.

The state coroner handed down findings in 2012 that Mr Gatehouse was most likely dead.

A report will be prepared for the coroner, but the death is not being treated as suspicious.