Australia Australia - Kyle Coleman, 17, Mount Isa, QLD, 22 Feb 2014

[cluciano63]

Police say they need new information if they are to have any real hope of finding missing Mount Isa teenager Kyle Coleman.

The last person thought to see Kyle was his best friend who took his own life on Wednesday.

Insp Kidd says there is no evidence to suggest the 21-year-old's death is in anyway linked to Kyle's disappearance.



http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/03/02/no-trace-missing-qld-teen-police

I don't see how his friend's suicide is NOT linked, in some way...JMO

 

[MsAnais]

I don't see how his friend's suicide is NOT linked, in some way...JMO

Completely agree!! As if he would just coincidentally take his own life in the middle of trying to find Kyle.......it just doesn't ring true.

PS I LOVE your avatar!!! I dig all the fabulous WSers who have kooky cats as their pics. It shows sheer fabulosity!!!:rockon:

 

[MsAnais]

It is seriously difficult to understand why Kyle’s friend suicided so soon after Kyle went missing.

What on earth happened that made him feel that he could no longer continue with his life?

Surely if an accident happened to Kyle, he would have been able to tell police the details, and even have tried to get help for Kyle.

There is an extremely high incidence of suicide in Mt Isa. In 2011 there were 23 suicides … a huge number for a town of that size. So many suicides, in fact, that government intervention has been called for.



http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...ederal-help-20111007-1lc92.html#ixzz2uoEMLq9z



http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2011/s3340543.htm?site=northwest

Thank you so much for those fascinating - and alarming!! - stats, SouthAussie! That's terrible news.:facepalm:

With that as the background to this, no wonder every article is giving the number of Lifeline. I wondered about that. Unfortunately, when increasing numbers of people in a community choose to suicide it can become seen as a 'viable option' by others I think. A way out.

Obviously all is not so well in Mount Isa. Tis a mining town in a very desolate setting......seems a very masculinised culture as well, judging by the FB pages. It's always tough for people (especially young guys) to live in a place where you're expected to be tough and 'a man' at all times. JMO.

 

[Amee]

Police are winding back a search for a Mount Isa teenager who has been missing for more than a week in Queensland's north-west.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-...or-missing-mount-isa-teen/5294184?section=qld

 

[MsAnais]

Police are winding back a search for a Mount Isa teenager who has been missing for more than a week in Queensland's north-west.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-...or-missing-mount-isa-teen/5294184?section=qld

Oh, that seems really sad :facepalm:

"What that means is that we will search when we receive information, so if anything comes in we will conduct further searches, but that large-scale searching that we've seen around Mount Isa and up towards Undilla Station will be wound back."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-...or-missing-mount-isa-teen/5294184?section=qld

His poor family. I wonder if the deceased friend's female partner knows anything that went on? Although I'd assume that if the deceased friend did harm Kyle, he'd be unlikely to tell his girlfriend - or anyone!

I really hope his family can get some closure on this lease:

 

[Amee]

Police believe Kyle attended a number of parties in the early hours of Saturday, February 22, and was last seen leaving a friend's Skewes Street home around 6am carrying a green swag and a backpack.

http://www.northweststar.com.au/story/2122720/police-seek-fresh-leads-on-missing-teen/?cs=191

A number of parties? :waitasec:

 

[MsAnais]

Police believe Kyle attended a number of parties in the early hours of Saturday, February 22, and was last seen leaving a friend's Skewes Street home around 6am carrying a green swag and a backpack.

http://www.northweststar.com.au/story/2122720/police-seek-fresh-leads-on-missing-teen/?cs=191

A number of parties? :waitasec:

I know! That's in direct contradiction to what Kyle's family members have revealed on FB..........I'm leaning toward trusting the family info. It is not in their interest to fabricate info - they want him found!

The whole media thing can become a bit 'Chinese Whispers' IMO. A number of parties is very different to one party, which in turn is very different to hanging out at a mate's place alone with him.........JMO

 

[MsAnais]

I was just thinking about the 'rumour' that LE quashed:

"Insp Kidd said he had gone public to “rubbish’’ rumours abuzz on social media that the teen had died in a hunting mishap and, out of guilt, his mate took his own life days later"

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...rs-mate-suicides/story-fnihsrf2-1226841279060

If it WAS a hunting mishap, surely the friend would have just immediately sought help and explained what had happened? There'd be nothing to hide, I would have thought.....?:twocents:

 

[revampz]

I was just thinking about the 'rumour' that LE quashed:

"Insp Kidd said he had gone public to “rubbish’’ rumours abuzz on social media that the teen had died in a hunting mishap and, out of guilt, his mate took his own life days later"

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...rs-mate-suicides/story-fnihsrf2-1226841279060

If it WAS a hunting mishap, surely the friend would have just immediately sought help and explained what had happened? There'd be nothing to hide, I would have thought.....?:twocents:

I am leaning towards this being closer to the true story........I am in Townsville and his missing poster is all over my facebook page.....I am also a member on facebook of the "Townsville Crime Alerts" page and there is a relative who has been posting on there as well..... This rumor was discussed by quite a lot of people on there and had to be deleted as the female relative got on there and said it wasn't true................they keep going on there and begging him to come home, so think they may have blinkers on...

Common sense tells you that it is highly unlikely that his friends suicide has nothing to do with his disappearance.............and the police would be looking in that direction without a doubt...........but of course have to say what they have to say...

 

[MsAnais]

I am leaning towards this being closer to the true story........I am in Townsville and his missing poster is all over my facebook page.....I am also a member on facebook of the "Townsville Crime Alerts" page and there is a relative who has been posting on there as well..... This rumor was discussed by quite a lot of people on there and had to be deleted as the female relative got on there and said it wasn't true................they keep going on there and begging him to come home, so think they may have blinkers on...

Common sense tells you that it is highly unlikely that his friends suicide has nothing to do with his disappearance.............and the police would be looking in that direction without a doubt...........but of course have to say what they have to say...

Thanks for that info, revampz!!:seeya:

I agree, sadly I don't think he's coming home :facepalm:

 

[SanJuanMom]

What on earth is a "swag" ????

 

[SouthAussie]

What on earth is a "swag" ????

Like a sleeping bag with a thin mattress attached to the bottom. Fairly big and bulky, but can be rolled up into its own bag/cover and perhaps attached to the bottom of a backpack.

It is good for sleeping on hard surfaces.

 

[SouthAussie]

Thanks for that info, revampz!!:seeya:

I agree, sadly I don't think he's coming home :facepalm:

I don't see a heck of a lot of good options here either

- Kyle was fatally hurt in a hunting accident, maybe even accidently shot by his friend, and left in the outback
- Kyle and his mate had a serious argument while hunting, the mate drove off and left Kyle, went back later and Kyle was gone
- Kyle and his mate had an argument (either while hunting or back at the mate’s place), the mate stupidly killed Kyle, and concealed Kyle’s body somewhere
- A 3rd party caused them trouble, took or killed Kyle, and threatened the mate (and maybe his family) with his life if he ever spoke of it
- Kyle (and his swag and backpack) was abducted while walking home from his mate’s place
- Kyle accepted a ride from the wrong person when making his way back to Mt Isa, or back to his home from his mate’s place

 

[sleepinoz]

What on earth is a "swag" ????

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/roma...gclid=CKH2_8v49LwCFYUhpQod2lkAnA&gclsrc=aw.ds

A sleeping bag with it's own tent

 

[SouthAussie]

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/roma...gclid=CKH2_8v49LwCFYUhpQod2lkAnA&gclsrc=aw.ds

A sleeping bag with it's own tent

With a tent ... I haven't seen that kind before. My brother's swag is tent-less. Learn something new every day.

 

[sleepinoz]

With a tent ... I haven't seen that kind before. My brother's swag is tent-less. Learn something new every day.

Most these days have their own cover/tent

This is a simple one that they give to the homeless

http://swags.org.au/

 

[MsAnais]

I don't see a heck of a lot of good options here either

- Kyle was fatally hurt in a hunting accident, maybe even accidently shot by his friend, and left in the outback
- Kyle and his mate had a serious argument while hunting, the mate drove off and left Kyle, went back later and Kyle was gone
- Kyle and his mate had an argument (either while hunting or back at the mate’s place), the mate stupidly killed Kyle, and concealed Kyle’s body somewhere
- A 3rd party caused them trouble, took or killed Kyle, and threatened the mate (and maybe his family) with his life if he ever spoke of it
- Kyle (and his swag and backpack) was abducted while walking home from his mate’s place
- Kyle accepted a ride from the wrong person when making his way back to Mt Isa, or back to his home from his mate’s place

Thanks for outlining the probable options there!:seeya:

I guess I struggle to understand if it was Option 1: a hunting accident and Kyle is accidentally killed - why wouldn't the friend just admit that? It's not like it's premeditated murder or anything........wouldn't the natural response to be to get Kyle's body and bring it back with him to town? Or even leave it in-situ but go and get help?

It looks suspicious to me.......I lean toward Option 3: Maybe they were really drunk and had an argument and he lost it and shot him. Imagine the guilt after he sobered up??!!

Although - your point about a third party is also a good one. I'd not thought of that before......

 

[SouthAussie]

Most these days have their own cover/tent

That makes sense ... this brother is the kind of guy who tends to hang onto things forever and not buy anything new if he doesn't have to. His wallet creaks like an unused door when he opens it too.

 

[Humdinger]

I'm also wondering what Kyle and his friend were hunting. There are (horrible) pics on FB of people from Mt Isa showing off their 'kills' which are wild pigs/boars.

Kyle is too young to have a license to use any kind of weapon. The only thing he can hold a minor's license for is target shooting under adult supervision at a target shooting range, or if he is a primary producer with valid proof of a significant animal/vermin infestation problem that has been unable to be eradicated in any other way.

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/weaponsLicensing/licenceApplication/licences/minors.htm

I wonder if there was some kind of problem when they were hunting. A problem with some kind of 3rd party.

I'd not thought about age and guns, I've heard of a lot of underage boys hunting. I'd imagine that like in VIC and NSW you can also get a license if you have a letter from a primary producer saying that you're doing vermin control, but I've not read all of the info in your link sorry.

As for what, yes I'd imagine it's pigs. They're in plague proportions in many areas and they cause a lot of damage. You can also make decent money killing and selling them. My hubby used to do this in Northern NSW and Southern QLD in his younger years whilst he was shearing, it was part hobby and part extra cash.

Thank you so much for those fascinating - and alarming!! - stats, SouthAussie! That's terrible news.:facepalm:

With that as the background to this, no wonder every article is giving the number of Lifeline. I wondered about that. Unfortunately, when increasing numbers of people in a community choose to suicide it can become seen as a 'viable option' by others I think. A way out.

Obviously all is not so well in Mount Isa. Tis a mining town in a very desolate setting......seems a very masculinised culture as well, judging by the FB pages. It's always tough for people (especially young guys) to live in a place where you're expected to be tough and 'a man' at all times. JMO.

Reading the last part of your post I took me straight back to a conversation (that I'd forgotten about till now) with a friend in Isa many years ago. She said that crime is rife, in the streets and homes. Some shops she just never went near and it was common to cross the road to avoid trouble. She also said that drugs were everywhere and were a big problem. It's a tough place for young men because of this, it's easy for them to fall into the wrong crowd and get involved with drugs, even working in the mines doesn't stop drug use.
It's not particularly relevant to your post Isis, but it just took me right back...

It is seriously difficult to understand why Kyle’s friend suicided so soon after Kyle went missing.

What on earth happened that made him feel that he could no longer continue with his life?

Surely if an accident happened to Kyle, he would have been able to tell police the details, and even have tried to get help for Kyle.

There is an extremely high incidence of suicide in Mt Isa. In 2011 there were 23 suicides … a huge number for a town of that size. So many suicides, in fact, that government intervention has been called for.



http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...ederal-help-20111007-1lc92.html#ixzz2uoEMLq9z



http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2011/s3340543.htm?site=northwest

Those statistics are staggering!! That's 2 every month!!! That would have to mean that there most likely isn't anyone in Isa that hasn't been touched by suicide!

I was just thinking about the 'rumour' that LE quashed:

"Insp Kidd said he had gone public to “rubbish’’ rumours abuzz on social media that the teen had died in a hunting mishap and, out of guilt, his mate took his own life days later"

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...rs-mate-suicides/story-fnihsrf2-1226841279060

If it WAS a hunting mishap, surely the friend would have just immediately sought help and explained what had happened? There'd be nothing to hide, I would have thought.....?:twocents:

Hunting accidents happen so often and they're investigated and are found to be accidents and nothing more. So why would this be different?? Alcohol, drugs, not licensed, erratic and dangerous behaivour, hunting with illegal guns? So many reasons why he may have covered it up... If indeed this turns out to be the case and I'm not saying he should have covered it up, he certainly was old enough to have acted in a mature and responsible way.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/54119/teen-shot-dead-in-hunting-accident-near-myrtleford/ This is an article about a hunting accident with 2
16 yr old boys and one shot the other So devastating, family friends etc etc.

What on earth is a "swag" ????

As the others have posted, swags come in all shapes, styles and colours! Most country boys have them and a lot of girls too. Basically it's a bed rolled up in heavy canvas, they keep you dry and warm and the ones with the tent bit keep snakes, vermin and insects out. You can also get double ones and kids sized swags. My boys are 4 and 6 and will be getting swags this year.

 

[sleepinoz]

Re the Gun Licence - His friend was 21, so I imagine that's how they managed to cover their as..s