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

[Ruminations]

Awww.. I don't see that just a beautiful little boy. Just the fact that he is riding a balance bike suggests to me that he is valued and cared for by his parent/s.

We don't know who took that video on his balance bike, or snapped that photo in the car.

We don't know what caused the family to decline to release them immediately.

MOO

 

[Athena Holmes]

Usually, when the motive is an inheritance, it's the grandparent or rival sibling that goes missing.

By reports, Jess is not legally married. If it's true the grandparents don't like Josh, how does making Gus go away make him go away?

I can't form a cohesive motive from money or disliking the union between Jess and Josh for harming Gus.

MOO

What I was saying was that one or both of the grandparents may have resented Josh - and that resentment may have been projected onto any of Josh's offspring with their daughter, who presumably would one day stand to inherit the property (regardless of Josh and Jess' marital status). It's just another theory which is not necessarily what I think happened. The boy may have been resented by one (or both) of the grandparents because of resentment towards the father.

What I actually think probably happened was that the boy was abused by one of the grandparents and this was covered up.

 

[Ruminations]

What I was saying was that one or both of the grandparents may have resented Josh - and that resentment may have been projected onto any of Josh's offspring with their daughter, who presumably would one day stand to inherit the property (regardless of Josh and Jess' marital status). It's just another theory which is not necessarily what I think happened. The boy may have been resented by one (or both) of the grandparents because of resentment towards the father.

What I actually think probably happened was that the boy was abused by one of the grandparents and this was covered up.

I guess we just have to wait for more info.

I'd pay a dollar to see the inside of that house the evening LE came.

MOO

 

[linge]

Adding the word 'United' where it should go without saying suggests to me that they are not United otherwise.

But it has nothing to do with anything, because per LE they are pointedly not suspects, so nosing into their relationship looking for motives would be unnecessary.

I can't imagine what this is like for them now. Heck, I'm united with them as far as Gus is concerned.

MOO

It could be that, or just something they added in light of the conflicting media coverage about the status of their relationship (and even if they've been together up until this happened, the pain and trauma of losing a child tears apart many relationships).

JMO, but I'm leaning towards it being part of a message within the message to the grandparents. We've heard that the rift between Josh and the elder Murrays deepened in the aftermath of Gus's disappearance, the whole 'things were said that can't be unsaid' thing. This could be a statement of being a 'team,' picking a 'side'...on the side against the 'non-cooperative' suspect, pressuring the other grandparent to make a choice between daughter (and transparency and aiding the investigation) or partner (and silence and obfuscation). That Jess isn't standing alone and can't easily be brought back into the fold, or controlled.

I guess just to emphasize the context, this is the first time either parent has made a statement. Gus's mother and father have both been silent until now, completely as far as anything public-facing is concerned. Was that their idea? Or is this breaking away from the wishes of the grandparents on how to 'handle' this? Again, JMO, but it feels like a break to me.

 

[Kemug]

Why on earfh would the grandparents resent Gus? Surely they would be so happy to have an heir to the property, and then 2?

 

[Athena Holmes]

Why on earfh would the grandparents resent Gus? Surely they would be so happy to have an heir to the property, and then 2?

Well as one of them has likely killed him I think it's a fair point.

 

[linge]

Why on earfh would the grandparents resent Gus? Surely they would be so happy to have an heir to the property, and then 2?

If it ties them for the rest of their lives to a man they don't like, don't want to be with their daughter, and don't want to have any claim on the property in the future, I can kind of see it. Grudges can be weird and petty and still turn deadly if held by the wrong person.

I don't see that being a murder motive in this situation exactly (particularly because they have two sons), but it is the kind of resentment that can boil over into someone being rougher with a fragile child, maybe one who looks a bit like the father, in a moment of anger than they would be without that resentment.

Just conjecture, speculation, opinion.

 

[katydid23]

Why? We know zilch about her.

I know. But she looks very frail. I can't see her moving and disposing of a body, while also caring for a 1 yr old. But who knows?

Also, I have not seen her being angry or aggressive like Josie appeared to be in that one incident. A hot temper is not a good mix when caring for 2 little boys, who can be a handful. imo

 

[katydid23]

Your level-headed approach to this case is seriously refreshing. Many people flatly refuse to admit that Shannon is, logically speaking, more likely to be the suspect based on all available information released through official channels (SAPOL).

[mod snip: characterizes other members’ motives rather than addressing the topic itself]

SAPOL does not seem to be validating or confirming the timeline and scenario that was offered by the grandmothers.

In fact, SAPOL now seems to be rejecting that scenario and timeline, imo.

 

[Lemony]

I’m not quite sure how the hat Gus was wearing would be crucial to the public helping solve this case?

Has it ever been reported if grandma Shannon (or anyone else) took Gus into a public place, had visitors or visited others during the day he went missing?

I’m quite perplexed by the idea that members of the public can help.
Maybe someone saw the hat in the house, in a vehicle or being worn by someone else after Gus went missing???
It does look to be an adult or older child sized hat IMO.

I think it depends on whether Ch. 7 is creating their own story or if there is a background push from police to get this out there.

This could be an investigative strategy, where the police are highlighting the hat as a way of applying subtle pressure to someone who knows more about its whereabouts than they’ve said. Focus and scrutiny on the hat may stress their suspect or anyone that knows something more about the hat.

It’s possible Gus wasn’t wearing the hat when he disappeared and it was disposed of later. Perhaps the hat was seen or found in an unexpected place. It could prompt a witness to come forward.

 

[sunspun]

Why do you think parents release statement & more photos of Gus now … ??is it to prompt tips about the case ? Can’t help thinking that police might not have any leads

Maybe it's just to honor Gus, now that they know he is gone for sure. Just a way to keep memory alive, since that's all they have of him now. JMO

 

[Dotta]

I noticed this too, his left eye looks quite dark.
I’m not sure if it is just shadow and quality of video though.

It is most noticeable in the Channel 7 video from 0:25 mark.

Clue in outback disappearance of Gus Lamont

A newly released video may hold a crucial detail to help find answers in what happened to the four-year-old.

7news.com.au

I noticed it too - immediately.
I fact,
in all photos and the video.
Children's bruised eyes can be the symptom of anemia, as very pale skin.
The boy looks fragile.

I still think
it might have been a fatal accident
(a fall or overmedication as I mentioned before).
And cover up in panic - why?
I have no idea,
but people can be unpredictable when in distress and shock.

Or even
the boy could have actually wandered off in the house or the property (while unsupervised)
and is stuck in a place nobody could ever imagine.

But honestly folks
I don't know what to think really

The weirdness and secrecy of this family is baffling.

JMO