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JUNE 1 2017 - 6:12PM
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LICENSE ARTICLE
Bones believed to belong to Matthew Leveson exhumed from burial site
Ava Benny-Morrison
Ava Benny-Morrison
73 reading now
The skeletal remains of what is believed to be missing man Matthew Leveson have
been exhumed from a forested burial site, bringing a decade-long search to an en
d.
Homicide detectives carried the remains, which were placed in two large cardboar
d boxes, out of bushland in the Royal National Park in Sydney's south on Thursda
y afternoon.
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Police convinced remains are Leveson
Forensic tests conducted in the Royal National Park have led police to believe t
hat the human remains found are that of missing man Matthew Leveson
The remains will be taken to the morgue in Glebe where forensic examinations wil
l likely confirm what police and Mr Leveson's family suspect.
Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin said the circumstances under which the bo
nes were found made him believe they belonged to 20-year-old Mr Leveson.
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Human skeleton found in search for Matthew Leveson
Bones found in search for Matthew Leveson in National Park
"It's been a long journey for the family in their efforts to find their son and
hopefully this will bring them some relief," he said on Thursday.
The human skeleton was found, about 60 centimetres underground and under a cabba
ge palm, by an excavator on Wednesday afternoon.
The long-awaited discovery marked a monumental turning point in the case for Mat
thew's parents, Mark and Faye Leveson.
Matthew disappeared after leaving ARQ Nightclub in Darlinghurst in September, 20
07.
Faye Leveson holds a photo of her son Matthew Leveson during a press conference
on Thursday.
Faye Leveson holds a photo of her son Matthew Leveson during a press conference
on Thursday. Photo: Kate Geraghty
The man who led police to the burial site under the protective umbrella of immun
ity, Michael Atkins, 54, remained in Queensland on Thursday.
He was acquitted of Mr Leveson's murder and manslaughter after a trial in 2009 o
nly to lead police to the body five years later.
NSW Police detectives remove remains believed to Matthew Leveson's, on Thursday.
NSW Police detectives remove remains believed to Matthew Leveson's, on Thursday.
Photo: Kate Geraghty
Mr Leveson's parents said the development showed how flawed the justice system w
as.
"They painted us into a corner," Mrs Leveson said. "They pained us into making a
decision to bring our son home and for the killer to walk free."
Police watch on as forensic officers comb the burial site near Waterfall.
Police watch on as forensic officers comb the burial site near Waterfall. Photo:
Kate Geraghty
Her husband added: "If any of the jurors on Matthew's trial see this, what the h
ell were you thinking?"
"This could have have been solved many years ago [by] yourselves."
Mark Leveson holds flowers at the crime scene.
Mark Leveson holds flowers at the crime scene. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Last year Mr Atkins agreed to take police to the area where he buried Matthew's
body after he was enticed with two separate immunity deals.
One involved immunity from prosecution stemming from anything he said in evidenc
e during Mr Leveson's inquest last year.
NSW forensic services officers sift through soil at the crime scene.
NSW forensic services officers sift through soil at the crime scene. Photo: Kate
Geraghty
However that did not protect him from perjury or contempt of court charges if he
lied in his testimony.
The second protected him from perjury charges if he took detectives to Mr Leveso
n's body.
Photo gallery
Bones found in search for Matthew Leveson
In darkness in the early hours of November 10, Mr Atkins led police to an area o
ff McKell Avenue in the southern end of the national park.
He told police he believed he buried his boyfriend's body somewhere in that area
.
Mark Leveson (second from right) and his wife Faye (right) release balloons at t
he crime scene where human remains have ...
Mark Leveson (second from right) and his wife Faye (right) release balloons at t
he crime scene where human remains have been unearthed. Photo: Kate Geraghty
However it took three separate searches, over 20 days in total, to finally find
Mr Leveson.
As the search was winding down on Wednesday afternoon, an excavator came across
the human skeleton.
NSW Deputy State Coronor Elaine Truscott embraces Faye Leveson after the bones d
iscovery.
NSW Deputy State Coronor Elaine Truscott embraces Faye Leveson after the bones d
iscovery. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Police were shown the startling discovery before Mr Leveson's parents walked ove
r to the site and spent a few minutes alone with their son.
Mr Leveson said this was what his family had worked towards for nine and a half
years.
"Of course there is a lot of work for the police and the coroner to do yet so we
might not get Matt home for a while yet," he said.
"But at least Matty is coming home."
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