By Callum Ludwig
A convicted murderer who dumped his victim in the Upper Yarra is on the run from police again, suspected of murdering a former girlfriend in Queensland 27 years ago.
The Queensland Police Service, Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police are all involved in the search for 71-year-old Keith Lees who was last seen almost one year ago in Shepparton.
Lees is wanted in relation to the 1997 murder of his then-girlfriend Meghan Louise Rose, who was found dead at the base of Point Cartwright Cliffs in Mooloolaba.
Her death was initially ruled a suicide but Queensland Cold Case Investigation Team (CCIT) detectives reopened the case in 2023 after discovering Lees had benefited from a life insurance policy taken out on Ms Rose, in which a 13-month waiting period for suicide payouts had lapsed only three days prior to the discovery of her death.
On 25 June, they attended a Victorian address to speak to him, on 26 June his car was found abandoned in Portland while CCTV footage captured him in Port Fairy on the same day, where he was also believed to have spoken to police and given a false name.
His last confirmed sightings were at the Waurn Ponds shopping centre and at Shepparton railway station, both on 27 June 2023, wearing a black and white jacket.
A month later on 28 July, detectives from the Queensland Police Service Homicide Squad issued a warrant for Lees’ arrest. The Victoria Police Fugitive Taskforce and Australian Federal Police’s Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (FAST) have since been engaged.
Due to the publicity of the warrant, Lees is not expected to necessarily have remained in the Shepparton area but it’s believed he could have sought casual work in the farming and fruit-picking industries in rural and regional areas.
Lees recently spent 18 years in jail for the murder of 42-year-old Barry Waters, whose headless body he dumped in bushland in Reefton. Mr Waters had been reported missing on April 6 2001 and the Upper Yarra Star Mail reported at the time that Melbourne Water staff had discovered his partly decomposed body in a shallow grave off the Reefton Spur road at about 11am on Wednesday 6 March 2002 when on a regular patrol of the catchment area.
The Age reported that in the Victorian Supreme Court trial in November 2003, prosecutor Raymond Gibson told the jury a tracking device installed on Lees’ vehicle recorded him travelling to the Reefton area on May 7 2001. Mr Gibson also said Lees’ then-teenage child, who is now known as Wren Dawnsong, discovered Mr Water’s wallet in the glove box of their father’s car and a bullet in his trousers was similar to those found near the body. Bloodstains on a pair of his shoes also matched DNA from the remains.
Lees had previously lived with Mr Waters in Oakleigh and had started a romantic affair with Mr Waters’ estranged wife.
Wren Dawnsong also appealed to their father to turn himself in for a Queensland Police update on the case in September 2023.
“It’s been more than 20 years now, Meaghan’s family deserve justice,” they said.
“My heart breaks for them daily, justice needs to be done.”
“The best thing anyone can do is to immediately contact the police if they see him, straight away.”
Ms Rose’s older sister Christine Richards also appeared in the update and urged the public to report any possible sightings, even if you are not certain it is Keith Lees.
“I’m asking the public of Australia, every State and Territory, to please keep their eye open and try to find this man,” she said.
“If there is anyone out there that is helping or harbouring Keith Lees, please 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.”
Queensland Police CCIT Detective Senior Sergeant Tara Kentwell also said after launching a Day of Action effort in November 2023 that investigators are particularly appealing to regional and rural Australians to be vigilant regarding new persons in their town.
“It is likely Keith Lees has changed his appearance and is using a false name,” Detective Senior Sergeant Kentwell said.
“We urge those in our regional communities to take a moment and consider if any men new to town since June, who have similar features or characteristics, may be Mr Lees and to immediately report that information to police.”
Police are keen to speak to anyone with information about his current whereabouts and it is not known if he remains in Victoria or has travelled interstate.
Information indicates he is actively avoiding apprehension.
Anyone who sights Lees is urged not to approach him and to contact triple zero (000) immediately.
Anyone with any other information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppers.com.au
