SHOCKING evidence has emerged in the case of Australian teen Pheobe Bishop who vanished 12 days ago.
Investigators are considering the possibility that Pheobe’s housemates might be linked to her disappearance, especially after finding weapons in the vehicle belonging to one of the 17-year-old’s roommates.
The car belonging to Pheobe’s housemate Tanika Bromley was also spotted by a local on Monday with new number plates.
Pheobe was last seen on May 15, leaving the home she shared with couple Bromley and James Wood in Gin Gin near the Bundaberg Region of Australia.
The teenager had plans to board a flight to Brisbane, then continue on to Perth to visit her “high-school sweetheart” boyfriend, but CCTV evidence revealed she never made it into the airport.
Detectives said they believe Bromley and Wood drove the teen to the airport.
Both the Gin Gin property and the car were declared crime scenes.
Bromley, age 33, was taken into custody over the weekend when police reportedly discovered weapons in her silver Hyundai ix35, as reported by the Australian news source news.com.au.
While at the time, these gun offences were said to be “unrelated” to the teen’s disappearance, detectives are not ruling out possible links, according to 7News Australia on Tuesday.
The day before, a new number plate was discovered to have been painted and taped over the Hyundai’s original plate.
The new plate reads 474-BW8.
The Hyundai symbol at the back of the vehicle was also changed to a Toyota symbol.
Bromley appeared in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, where police alleged they found a shortened firearm, ammunition and two replica handguns inside a grey Hyundai.
Additional ammunition was also reportedly found at the home.
Wood reportedly attended court to support her.
Bromley was granted bail on Tuesday, according to 7News Australia.
It comes after reports on Monday that police have expanded the search for Pheobe to a nearby national park, just an hour from the airport where she was due to catch a flight.
The Good Night Scrub National Park is located around 40 kilometres south of Gin Gin.
Pheobe’s mum, Kylie Johnson, also issued an emotional plea on Facebook: “As we enter day 11 of Pheobe still not being home, our numbness to our tears, to our hearts breaking and this hell is heavy.”
She said: “Not knowing what to say, what to do or even how to continue to live in this cyclone of uncertainty.
“The tears come, the anger and frustrations come and most of all our hearts are shattering more and more each Day.”
After reviewing Pheobe’s recent social media activity, police understood that the teen had been been “in and out” of home for several years.
The teenager had saved up for months to pay for a ticket to visit her boyfriend.
She made a last minute call to him moments before she was due to board a flight to Western Australia.
Despite suggestions that she made it through the airport – a family member has since revealed that she never checked in to her flight.
The family member said: “She didn’t check in for her flight to visit her boyfriend who she spoke to on the phone at 8.30am.”
“Her phone has been switched off from this point. She hasn’t contacted anyone at all, no one has seen her.”
Her social media accounts have not been active since she went missing.
Pheobe’s disappearance is being treated as suspicious.
No charges have been made in relation to it.
Pheobe Bishop timeline
by Harvey Geh
May 14: Pheobe Bishop’s last known bank transaction takes place.
May 15: Pheobe is reportedly dropped off near Bundaberg Airport’s terminal by her housemates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley, in order to catch a flight to Brisbane and then to Perth to visit her boyfriend.
May 15, 8:30am: Pheobe makes a final phone call to her boyfriend before her scheduled flight. Her phone is then switched off and has remained inactive since.
May 15, post-8:30am: Pheobe fails to check in for her flight. CCTV footage confirms she did not enter the airport terminal.
May 16: Family and police initiate search efforts. Pheobe’s social media accounts show no activity during this period.
May 24: Nine days after disappearing, Pheobe’s distressed mum pleads with the public for information. She says she is “absolutely begging anyone with any information to contact the Queensland Police Service”.
May 25: The search effort is widened to cover more area and homicide officers are brought in to help.
May 26: Specialist units expand the search for the teen to a nearby national park, just an hour from the airport. Pheobe’s housemate Tanika Bromley is charged with two counts of authority required to possess explosives, one count of possessing restricted items and one count of unlawful possession of weapons.
May 27: Bromley is granted bail.
