Body found in burnt-out car - off Mt Murray Road

Body found in burnt-out car.
January 26, 2010 - 12:10PM

A body has been found in a burnt-out car south of Sydney, police say.

Emergency crews were called to a vehicle on fire in bushland off Mount Murray Road at Mount Murray, in the NSW Southern Highlands, about 7am yesterday. (DJW Note: This is just out of Robertson, above Macquarie Pass).

An old "file photo" from the Powerline Take-off Point

above Macquarie Pass - which is accessed "off Mt Murray Road".

I have made no attempt to take actuality shots of this incident.

"Fire services attended and extinguished the fire and upon closer inspection a badly burnt body was found inside the vehicle," police said in a statement.

The body is yet to be identified.

Detectives have appealed for information. Reports should be made by phoning Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald Website 26 January 2010

DJW Update:

Photo courtesy of SMH and Southern Highlands News

Police at Crime Scene

Police have now opened a Murder Inquiry into the incident. (Read the story at that link.)

The report refers to it as a "remote highlands spot". That's a bit of journalistic flourish. It is down a country road, and obviously near a train line. It cannot be more than 1 Km from the Illawarra Highway. There are far more remote spots than that in the Southern Highlands.

***** Further Update: 1/2/10 from Sydney Morning Herald website:

"Police believe a man whose remains were found in a burnt-out car near Macquarie Pass was murdered.

"Lake Illawarra commander Superintendent Mick Willing named the man as Matthew Digby, 35, of Wollongong. Mr Digby had recently moved to the region from Cronulla.

"His remains were found inside a burning Mazda 626 station wagon on Mount Murray Road, next to a disused railway crossing, last Monday."

Read the full story in the Paper.