South Australian Police believe a man who was held against his will and violently assaulted for up to a week in a southern suburbs home was murdered at Port Pirie.
Key points:
- Police believe Robert Atkins was murdered in the vicinity of Port Pirie
- He was involved in low level drug dealing
- Police are looking for the drivers of two cars seized during the investigation
Robert Atkins, 29, was reported missing by his mother in January when she became concerned that she had not seen her son for two months.
Police believe Mr Atkins’ death was connected to his involvement in the southern suburbs drug scene.
They have previously said they suspect he was held against his will and assaulted for up to seven days at a house on Mander Road at Christie Downs in November.
On Friday, Detective Inspector Brett Featherby said police have now discovered that Mr Atkins was moved to a second property at Seaford before being driven to Port Pirie where he was murdered.
“We know he was violently assaulted and held against his will,” he said.
“He has then been moved at some stage to the premises at Seaford.
“And we now know that between the 15th and the 16th of November he’s travelled through Booborowie through to Port Pirie where he was murdered on that date — the 16th.”
Police believe Mr Atkins’ body was disposed of in or around Port Pirie, and are currently narrowing down search areas to find his remains.
Detective Featherby said the murder was “not related to bikies at all”.
Two cars seized during investigation
Police have released images of two vehicles they believe are connected to the murder.
A black 2010 Jeep Cherokee with the registration S556AJE was photographed returning to Adelaide at Willaston South at 8:51pm on November 16.
“We know that vehicle was stolen from a Millswood premises in late August or early September last year, and it was later seized by police on 3rd December at Mawson Lakes,” Detective Featherby said.
A silver 2008 Nissan Pathfinder with the registration BB744S was seized on July 15 at Booborowie.
“Both of those vehicles have been subjected to forensic testing. The results are promising and we believe those results will further advance this investigation.”
Detective Featherby said they are looking for more than one suspect.
“There were a number of persons involved in both his unlawful detention and subsequent murder at Port Pirie,” he said.
“We have received 20 calls to Crime Stoppers that have helped to advance the investigation and piece together Robert’s final moments.”
Police are seeking information from anyone who saw the vehicles on November 15 or 16 in Booborowie, Port Pirie or elsewhere in the mid-north region.
They are also calling for anyone who noticed suspicious activity in Mander Road at Christie Downs or in Halyard Crescent at Seaford in early to mid-November to call Crime Stoppers.
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