Australia AUSTRALIA - 4YO AUGUST (GUS) Missing from rural family home in Outback, Yunta, South Australia, 27th Sept 2025

[essareem]

They did not "grab a gun"
Deputy Police Commissioner Linda Williams said on Friday that Ms Murray was using the gun to “dispatch a snake” and had no threatening intentions, and labelled the Daily Mail’s actions as “disgraceful”.
IMO, the Journalist was Trespassing. Repeated warnings had been given to the Media not to enter the property.

“My understanding is two members from the Daily Mail organisation, despite numerous warnings over numerous days and weeks … have gone on to private property,” she said.
“As they’ve entered near the property, one of the persons at the homestead was outside on the porch using a shotgun to dispatch a snake that was obviously on their porch and they’ve then approached by this person.
“There was no intent for the person having that firearm at that time to be threatening.”
Journalist Trespassing

Such a terrible mishap, and what a coincidence - a journalist shows up right when the property owner was holding a gun to shoot a snake on her porch, as you do. I guess it's all just one big misunderstanding.

It's hard to have the presence of mind in the moment to put away the firearm before confronting journalists.

 

[essareem]

Do outback people ever go swimming in the various dams?

Yep, I even canoe in mine and have a little pontoon for diving.

 

[JLZ]

Yep, I even canoe in mine and have a little pontoon for diving.

So Gus might have been taken swimming in one at some stage and decided to pay a visit on his own.

 

[spiritualdreaming]

This appears to be about the tracker who was used in the early days of searching., Apart from noting Gus' dad lived separately at another property and commuted to see Gus, I can't see anything there saying he had or has been banned from searching the property for Gus. Jmo

ETA, having now read the DM piece you attached for the third time, I can't see your quote in that specific article. Not disputing that this was reported at some point by the DM, but not in this specific piece Imo.

Since Gus went missing, the house appears to have been deserted, with talk of a deepening rift between him and the rest of the Murray family.

'Josh has been banned from the homestead,' one friend told Daily Mail. 'There is a lot of emotions, and things have been said that can't be taken back.

It's mentioned in this article

Gus Lamont's grandmother waves pump-action shotgun at reporter

Daily Mail went to speak to Josie Murray on Wednesday afternoon but after we offered our sympathies to the family, she waved a gun.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[jepop]

Since Gus went missing, the house appears to have been deserted, with talk of a deepening rift between him and the rest of the Murray family.

'Josh has been banned from the homestead,' one friend told Daily Mail. 'There is a lot of emotions, and things have been said that can't be taken back.

It's mentioned in this article

Gus Lamont's grandmother waves pump-action shotgun at reporter

Daily Mail went to speak to Josie Murray on Wednesday afternoon but after we offered our sympathies to the family, she waved a gun.

www.dailymail.co.uk

That hardly confirms as fact that Josh has been told he can no longer search for his son on the property if he chooses to. So moo, it's important to note that this is speculation by WS users, not fact, and should be clearly marked as such. Jmo

ETA, there is no temporal or expanded context to that quote at all. It requires personal interpretations and speculation to parse it into 'can no longer search for Gus'. The fact is we don't know, nor are we entitled to know moo, what the current state of communication there is between family members. Moo

 

[Warshawski]

It is possible that someone went unnoticed if they drove slowly on a hard track and didn’t create dust or much noise.
I’m sure police have interviewed everyone in the area but how many times has a suspect been dismissed and years later found to be responsible ?

I’m still interested to know when the Sheep Shearing happened, as sheep we saw in some pictures looked freshly shorn imo.
Maybe Jess & Josie were taking the last lot back to their paddock that Sat afternoon. And it could be possible that shearers or shed hands were leaving the property that day . . or coming & going.

People on places with lots of vehicle traffic often don’t take much notice of ‘vehicle’ noise, unless it’s outside the norm.. GM Shannon may not have registered a vehicle / ‘different’ vehicle, being aware that sheep work was being done.

Just my thoughts. .. still a lot for SAPOL to investigate I think. It’s just heartbreaking.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Such a terrible mishap, and what a coincidence - a journalist shows up right when the property owner was holding a gun to shoot a snake on her porch, as you do. I guess it's all just one big misunderstanding.

It's hard to have the presence of mind in the moment to put away the firearm before confronting journalists.

The Mail reported the firearm as a pump action shotgun, although another poster said it was not a shotgun. What strikes me, looking at the end of the barrel in the Mail's photograph, is that the barrel looks very wide indeed for taking out a snake. Maybe someone who knows more about guns than I do could comment.

 

[SouthAussie]

Jmo that quote if accurate was related to disputes prior to Gus going missing. I've read nothing to confirm or show that Gus' father has been 'banned' from the property so as to be unable to search for his son, and Imo he has been freely able to do so and has done so. I'm sure there have been sound reports of this (I would have to take some time to find and repost but surely that is not in dispute?).

For some reason it is stated here and there as fact that dad is banned and unable to search for his son and that is what I would like to see a source for. Personally I don't think that is accurate. Jmo

We know for a fact that Josh was out searching with an SES guy at least on one night. The SES guy he searched with spoke with the media and it has been posted here. Probably now everyone involved has been told to not talk to the media.

I have wondered if Josh, Jess and Ronnie are staying somewhere (else). Mostly because in various articles those are the people who have been mentioned as not being seen.

imo

 

[spiritualdreaming]

That hardly confirms as fact that Josh has been told he can no longer search for his son on the property if he chooses to. So moo, it's important to note that this is speculation by WS users, not fact, and should be clearly marked as such. Jmo

ETA, there is no temporal or expanded context to that quote at all. It requires personal interpretations and speculation to parse it into 'can no longer search for his Gus if he wants to'.

Never stated it was fact, just quoted what was said and attached the correct article for you.

Only FACT we all have in this case is that a wee innocent 4yr old boy is missing.

 

[Warshawski]

Do outback people ever go swimming in the various dams?

Yes.

 

[jepop]

Dbm

 

[sunspun]

Since Gus went missing, the house appears to have been deserted, with talk of a deepening rift between him and the rest of the Murray family.

'Josh has been banned from the homestead,' one friend told Daily Mail. 'There is a lot of emotions, and things have been said that can't be taken back.

It's mentioned in this article

Gus Lamont's grandmother waves pump-action shotgun at reporter

Daily Mail went to speak to Josie Murray on Wednesday afternoon but after we offered our sympathies to the family, she waved a gun.

www.dailymail.co.uk

thank you, it appears i linked to the wrong DM article!

 

[Warshawski]

Ok thanks. I’ve followed Oak Park Road all the way to Yunta but not the opposite direction, shall do that now.

Gus would’ve been found by now if he had wandered.
He hasn’t drowned in the dam.
His family have been extensively interviewed. It’s unlikely all three of them are good actors. Josh would notice if Jess was covering something up .
It’s got to be an abduction doesn’t it?

We don’t know how much contact there has been between Jess & Josh since Gus disappeared.

If he had wandered off I’m sure by now there would have been a hint of that found, perhaps some of his clothing, something caught in the saltbush, if not his little self.

I’m tending to think there must have been human intervention in his disappearance .

 

[Someone8746]

The Mail reported the firearm as a pump action shotgun, although another poster said it was not a shotgun. What strikes me, looking at the end of the barrel in the Mail's photograph, is that the barrel looks very wide indeed for taking out a snake. Maybe someone who knows more about guns than I do could comment.

I think you may be referring to my post? I shoot as a sport, I have a basic understanding of various firearms. In my collection I have an Adler lever action single barrel shotgun, which is quite similar to the one shown in various still images.. not exactly the same but I imagine this type of firearm would be manufactured by many brands with minor superficial differences. Someone on here may be better able to identify the exact brand?

In my post I disagreed about the firearm being ‘pump’ action because I can clearly see the lever action - I’ll try to source and link the photo in this comment so others can see the difference also. It is however in my opinion, definitely a shotgun.

A shotgun can be ‘break-apart/break-away’ ‘pump’ or ‘lever’ action and both ‘double’ or ‘single’ barrel.. these terms describe the way a firearm is loaded/discharged and generally handled/operated. Lots of variations across any one type of firearm from my understanding.

All comment content is my opinion only.

Edited to include image referred to above and link for image: Gus Lamont's trans grandmother waves pump-action shotgun at reporter

And edited again to show an image of a lever action shotgun - note the similarities to the sourced image above:

Image link: What is the Adler shotgun? Five things you need to know

 

[FromGermany1]

“My understanding is two members from the Daily Mail organisation, despite numerous warnings over numerous days and weeks … have gone on to private property,” she said.
“As they’ve entered near the property, one of the persons at the homestead was outside on the porch using a shotgun to dispatch a snake that was obviously on their porch and they’ve then approached by this person.
“There was no intent for the person having that firearm at that time to be threatening.”
Journalist Trespassing

bbm/18
How did they enter and how did they get to the home at all? If it is difficult for anyone, who could have possibly taken little Gus, why doesn't it seem difficult to get to the home for these two DM-journalists?

 

[FromGermany1]

If little Gus gets found by his closest relatives, do you think, LE will be informed or will the relatives keep secret?

 

[Lady-J]

I’m still interested to know when the Sheep Shearing happened, as sheep we saw in some pictures looked freshly shorn imo.
Maybe Jess & Josie were taking the last lot back to their paddock that Sat afternoon. And it could be possible that shearers or shed hands were leaving the property that day . . or coming & going.

People on places with lots of vehicle traffic often don’t take much notice of ‘vehicle’ noise, unless it’s outside the norm.. GM Shannon may not have registered a vehicle / ‘different’ vehicle, being aware that sheep work was being done.

Just my thoughts. .. still a lot for SAPOL to investigate I think. It’s just heartbreaking.

You probably did see shorn sheep as this is done in spring and would bring shearer’s to the area

 

[Ellery84]

If little Gus gets found by his closest relatives, do you think, LE will be informed or will the relatives keep secret?

He won't be found, by anyone, is my prediction.

Imo

 

[HoneyBunOne]

If little Gus gets found by his closest relatives, do you think, LE will be informed or will the relatives keep secret?

I'll assume you mean deceased?

Why would they keep it secret? It's an open investigation, and I imagine withholding information like a body being found in a missing child case would have some potential to be seen as something akin to a crime, if not an actual crime. It would also put the rumours to bed that the family had a hand in his demise. Once the initial online commentary dies down, the family can fade into the memories of the strangers on the internet who know little Gus' name now. They can lay him to rest and process his death, while they try to create a new normal.

Why do you think they'd keep it hidden from police?

 

[tedtink]

The Mail reported the firearm as a pump action shotgun, although another poster said it was not a shotgun. What strikes me, looking at the end of the barrel in the Mail's photograph, is that the barrel looks very wide indeed for taking out a snake. Maybe someone who knows more about guns than I do could comment.

I didn't say it's not a shotgun.

It's a pump action shotgun according to the DM.
It doesn't have a break (hinge) near the barrel. ie. it doesn't open up to be carried.

They're used to fire at and take out all sorts of game animals and pests, including snakes.

Josie was carrying it correctly and safely IMO.

Australia Post in thread 'AUSTRALIA - 4YO AUGUST (GUS) Missing from rural family home in Outback, Yunta, South Australia, 27th Sept 2025'

Oct 31, 2025

Whatever the gun was being used for, it should have been carried broken until it was to be loaded and fired. Some UK oldies might remember this public information film from the 1970s.

Pump action shotguns don't open like the break action (hinged) shotgun in the vid.

Hence the way that particular (pump action) gun was being carried by Josie.

• tedtink

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