SA police believed to have discovered remains of missing man Robert Atkins

ABC NEWS (Australia)

South Australia Police believe they've discovered the remains of missing man Robert Atkins, on an abandoned rural property in the state's Mid North. Mr Atkins disappeared nearly three years ago, with police alleging he was murdered. Detectives say the recovery of Mr Atkins will allow his family to get the closure it needs.

Transcript

00:00 An almost three year search comes to a conclusion as police recover what they think is the body

00:07 of Robert Atkins.

00:08 It's clear from talking to the family, the recovery of the remains and giving them a

00:12 dignified burial is massively important to them.

00:15 Robert Atkins was last seen in Port Pirie in November 2020.

00:18 SA Police set up Task Force Southern 12 months later to investigate the deaths of Mr Atkins

00:25 and two other men, Trevor King and Jeff Mundy.

00:28 All three were associated with the methamphetamine trade in southern Adelaide.

00:32 Major crime detectives issued several pleas for information and charged one man with Mr

00:37 Atkins' death.

00:39 Investigations in SA's Mid North in an effort to locate Mr Atkins' body led police to an

00:44 abandoned Peak Road property at Munvalara, about 280km north of Adelaide.

00:50 Police say yesterday was the 12th time in the last year and a half that they visited

00:54 the area as part of their search, but it was only yesterday that they located what's believed

00:58 to be Robert Atkins' body in the water tank behind me.

01:02 Realistically, Task Force Southern detectives have put in an enormous effort trying to find

01:08 him.

01:09 Task Force Southern is a very good example of that.

01:11 Multiple offenders, multiple crimes with significant resources committed to that to make sure we

01:16 get the outcomes that we're looking for.

01:18 The search at the property is set to continue on Friday, with forensic experts still working

01:22 to confirm the remains are those of Mr Atkins.

01:26 Detectives are also continuing their investigations into Trevor King's death, while the remains

01:30 of Jeff Mundy are yet to be located.

01:33 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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