Cold case gets reward

$250k is on offer to catch a killer

POLICE believe someone knows what happened to missing Queensland man Jason Vance and a $250,000 reward is now on offer for information that could help to crack the cold case.

The 42-year-old father-ofthree entered the Barakula State Forest, near Chinchilla, in October 2013 with two other people – Alex Thorton and Megan Pitt – and was never seen again.

Despite an initial police investigation and a coronial inquiry no one has ever been charged over Mr Vance’s death.

Deputy State Coroner John Lock in 2017 found Mr Vance was deceased but could not determine the cause of death.

He said it was “likely that Jason died of misadventure rather than foul play, although this cannot be excluded”.

On October 20, 2013, Mr Vance’s Rockhampton housemate said the 42-year-old told him he “had a few things to sort out on the Gold Coast” before he would return home.

Four days later, Mr Vance drove from the Gold Coast to the 260,000ha forest with Thornton and Pitt.

They allegedly planned to cook drugs and the group set up camp at an old school hut for the night of October 24 before Mr Vance went missing, the inquest heard.

After the inquest, Southwest District Detective Inspector

Mat Kelly reviewed the case and found things “didn’t add up”.

Six years after Mr Vance went missing, a $250,000 reward is now on offer for any information that could lead to a conviction over his disappearance and suspected killing.

“There are suspicious circumstances around his disappearance that need to be explored,” Det Insp Kelly told The Sunday Mail.

“It’s clear to me that someone knows something. There is no doubt in my mind about that. This is why we are making this appeal asking people to provide police with that crucial piece of evidence, no matter how small.”

Mr Kelly said detectives were “keeping an open mind” and looking for information.

“The disappearance of any person should not be judged by their social circumstances and the fact is he is missing and his remains have never been located is a mystery that needs to be solved,” he said.