Suspect identified in disappearance of four-year-old in Australian outback

South Australia Police

Gus was last seen playing outside his house on the family’s remote sheep station

Police say a suspect has been identified over the disappearance of a four-year-old boy who went missing in the South Australian outback.

Gus Lamont was last seen playing outside his home on a remote sheep station near Yunta, about 300km (186 miles) from Adelaide, on 27 September.

His grandmother left him alone for about half an hour before checking on him, only to find the boy missing, prompting one of the largest land and air searches in the state’s history.

Police said a person who lives on the property has been identified as a suspect but confirmed the boy’s parents were not under investigation.

In the days and weeks after the boy was reported missing, police conducted extensive searches, covering about 470 sq km – an area roughly twice the size of Edinburgh – around his home, the Oak Park station homestead.

In late October, police wound down efforts and appointed a 12-member taskforce to continue the investigation.

That taskforce sifted through previous statements given by family members which “identified a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies” of the timeline around the boy’s disappearance.

“As a result of these inconsistencies, and investigations into them, a person who resides at Oak Park station has withdrawn their support for the police and is no longer cooperating with us,” Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said.

“I do want to stress, however, that Gus’ parents are not suspects in his disappearance.”

Police conducted a search of the property in January and seized a number of items including a vehicle, motorcycle and some electronic devices.

Investigators said they had initially considered three possible scenarios – the boy walked off, he was abducted, or someone known to Gus was involved in his disappearance and suspected death.

Given the remote location of the property, police ruled out abduction and there was no evidence to suggest Gus had “merely wandered off”.

“What I can say, however, is that we’ll continue to thoroughly and meticulously investigate the disappearance of Gus until we get an outcome,” Fielke said.

“We’re all focused and determined to locate Gus and return him to his parents. Nothing is off the table as we work towards that outcome.”

South Australia Police have confirmed a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of four-year-old August “Gus” Lamont. Forensic teams recovered two items during a targeted search linked to the child’s vanishing from the remote Oak Park Station homestead, with sources indicating one item was immediately prioritized and sent for specialized testing. The announcement has deepened the tragedy surrounding the case, which was reclassified as a major crime (suspected homicide) earlier this month.

The recovery occurred as part of Task Force Horizon‘s continued efforts following the February 5, 2026, update from Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke. Police have not publicly detailed the nature of the two items—citing the active investigation—but sources close to the probe suggest they are potentially significant to establishing what happened to Gus on September 27, 2025. One item was reportedly expedited for forensic analysis, likely DNA, trace evidence, or other testing that could provide critical links.

This follows earlier searches on January 14 and 15, 2026, when investigators executed a warrant at the 60,000-hectare sheep station near Yunta, about 300 km northeast of Adelaide. During those operations, a comprehensive forensic examination of the homestead and outbuildings led to the seizure of multiple items, including a vehicle, a motorcycle, and electronic devices—all submitted for forensic examination. The latest recovery appears to stem from follow-up or expanded forensic work tied to those initial seizures or new leads.

Gus’s grandparents, Josie and Shannon Murray, who have been at the forefront of family statements, released a brief but emotional response to the latest developments:

“We are devastated by these developments. The family has cooperated fully with the investigation from the beginning and continues to want nothing more than to find Gus and bring him home. We ask for privacy during this painful time.”

The statement, delivered through their lawyers, echoes their earlier reaction to the major crime declaration, where they expressed being “absolutely devastated” while reaffirming full cooperation and ruling out any involvement by Gus’s parents, who have never been considered suspects.

The case has evolved dramatically since Gus was last seen playing on a dirt mound outside the homestead around 5 p.m. Initial reports described a 30-minute window before his grandmother checked and found him gone. The family searched for about three hours before calling authorities, sparking one of South Australia’s largest missing persons operations.

Extensive searches—including ground teams, SES volunteers, search dogs, drones, helicopters, and dam drainings—covered nearly 100 sq km on foot and over 700 sq km from the air. No trace of Gus or his belongings (beyond one initially noted footprint later discounted) was found, despite draining millions of liters from a property dam.

The pivot to a major crime came after investigators identified “a number of inconsistencies and discrepancies” in family timelines and accounts. A suspect—described as a person who lived at Oak Park Station and was “known to the child”—withdrew cooperation after scrutiny. Police have emphasized stranger abduction is not believed to have occurred.

As forensic testing on the newly recovered items proceeds, Task Force Horizon continues its work. Authorities remain committed to finding answers, with appeals for any information ongoing.

The remote outback isolation, combined with the shift from rescue to suspected foul play, has made this one of the most haunting cases in recent Australian history. The latest forensic breakthrough offers a potential path to clarity, though the emotional toll on the family remains immense.