Police arrest 72-year-old man for murdering his ex-partner in 1997

A 72-year-old man, Keith Lees, has been extradited to Brisbane, Australia, under police guard after allegedly evading arrest for 18 months.

He faces charges for the murder of his ex-partner, Meaghan Louise Rose, whose body was discovered at the base of Point Cartwright Cliffs on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in 1997.  

Lees was transported to the Brisbane Watch House in a police vehicle ahead of a court appearance scheduled for tomorrow. He was arrested on January 2 in connection with the decades-old case.  

At the time of her death, Rose had moved from Victoria to Queensland to be with Lees, who was more than 20 years her senior. Her death was initially ruled a suicide, but in 2009, the investigation was reopened. In June 2023, a $500,000 reward for information was announced.  

Shortly after detectives questioned Lees in Victoria, his car was found abandoned, prompting a major land and air search. 

Authorities alleged that Lees provided a false name to officers in Port Fairy and was later caught on CCTV purchasing clothes in Geelong. His last known sighting was at Shepparton train station.  

Court documents reveal that Lees allegedly spent 18 months on the run using a fake identity. He is accused of obtaining fraudulent documents, including a driver’s license, pensioner concession card, and bank accounts, while receiving government welfare payments and subsidized housing under an alias.  

Following the issuance of the arrest warrant, Lees’ relatives publicly urged him to stop running and surrender to authorities.

Months after his disappearance, Keith Lees’ adult child, Wren Dawnsong, expressed his hope that Meaghan Louise Rose’s family would finally receive the closure they had been seeking for decades.

He said: “My heart breaks for them daily, justice needs to be done.

Rose’s older sister, Christine Richards, urged anyone assisting Keith Lees to reconsider their actions, stating, “Think about who you are dealing with”

“Help us to bring justice for Meaghan after all this time, please help us let her rest in peace,” she said.