The disappearance of Cronulla man Matthew Leveson is a story that’s devastated Australians for the past nine years, but there’s been a major update since the recent inquest.
Reports are surfacing that Michael Atkins, Leveson‘s partner and the previous and only suspect, told police last night where Leveson’s body is buried.
#BREAKING Michael Atkins has given police the location of his boyfriend Matthew Leveson’s body @7NewsSydney
— Leonie Ryan (@LeonieFRyan) November 10, 2016
There’s also reports coming in that a search is already underway for Leveson‘s remains. Police are initiating the search in the Royal National Park as we speak, and Atkins is assisting them:
The ABC has confirmed a search is underway in the Royal National Park for Matthew Leveson’s body. The 20yo disappeared in 2007.
— Lucy Carter (@lucethoughts) November 10, 2016
Matthew Leveson: Police are searching bushland in the Royal National Park. https://t.co/6rm43QpgOj #MatthewLeveson https://t.co/wBxyewL2cb
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) November 10, 2016
Leveson went missing in 2007, last seen coming out of ARQ Nightclub in Darlinghurst with Atkins. An hour later, Atkins returns to the club by himself.
The next day, Leveson was reported missing.
Atkins was acquitted of his partner’s murder in 2009, despite a CCTV camera showing him purchasing a mattock and gaffer tape at the exact time that he told police he was asleep.
It was also said that Atkins sent messages to Leveson’s phone after his disappearance, asking where he was. But in court, it was alleged that Atkins had had the phone the whole time; police found it in his car after a search of his home.
Matthew’s parents Mark and Faye Leveson have fought for justice for their son for eight years, and have been through not only the worst thing any parent can feel – the loss of a child – but they’ve also went through horrifying experiences such as looking for their son’s body in the Royal National Park themselves, or wearing a wire and speaking calmly and naturally to Atkins, who they 100% believed had murdered their son.
During a recent inquest in Leveson‘s disappearance, his father Mark said,
“I don’t need to know who, I know that already.We want to know how he was murdered, why he was murdered, when? We need answers.”
The parents had placed a $100,000 reward for information that would help them lay their son to rest.
The full statement from NSW Police is below:
We’ll update this story with more information as it arises.
Source: Twitter / ABC.
