South Australian police are continuing their investigation into the disappearance of four-year-old August "Gus" Lamont, who was last seen on September 27 at Oak Park Station, a 60,000-hectare property south of Yunta, South Australia. The case was declared a major crime on February 5. Police have stated that one grandparent is a suspect and that two family members are not cooperating with the investigation. A separate firearms charge against another grandparent has been adjudicated.
The Disappearance
Gus Lamont was reported missing from the family property on September 27. He was last seen around 5:00 PM by his grandmother, Shannon Murray, playing in the sand outside the homestead. The family reported his disappearance approximately three hours later.
According to police, Gus was in the care of his grandmother while his mother, Jessica, and another grandparent, Josie Murray, were tending sheep about 10 kilometers away.
Police Investigation and Status
The investigation is being conducted by Task Force Horizon, which was established in October. On February 5, police reclassified the case from a missing person inquiry to a major crime.
Suspect and Cooperation:- Police have identified a single suspect: one of Gus's grandparents who resided at Oak Park Station. This individual is not one of Gus's parents.
- Police stated this individual initially cooperated but later withdrew cooperation.
- Police have confirmed that two family members are communicating solely through their legal representatives.
- Gus's parents, Jessica and Joshua Lamont, have been explicitly stated by police to not be suspects.
Police have explored three primary lines of inquiry:
- Gus wandered off.
- Gus was abducted.
- A person known to him was involved in his disappearance and suspected death.
In February, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke stated that police no longer believe Gus is alive. Commissioner Grant Stevens stated that the theory of Gus wandering off has been "largely ruled out" due to a lack of supporting evidence.
Search Operations
The search for Gus Lamont has been described by South Australia Police as one of the largest and most intensive missing person searches in the state's history.
Previous Searches:- Over 163 police and 230 non-police personnel, including State Emergency Service volunteers, Australian Defence Force personnel, and Indigenous trackers, have participated.
- Search teams have covered a 95-square-kilometer area on foot and used drones and aircraft to cover a 706-square-kilometer area.
- Six disused mine shafts, dams, water tanks, an outhouse, and other structures have been searched.
- A cadaver dog from New South Wales was deployed.
- Items seized from the property in January include a vehicle, a motorcycle, and electronic devices (mobile phones, computers, iPads).
- Over 500 people identified as being on the property at the time of the disappearance have been contacted.
Police returned to Oak Park Station in May for a three-day search. The search was prompted by recent heavy rainfall in the area (approximately 31mm recorded at the Yunta airstrip in May). Acting Officer in Charge of Major Crime Andrew Macrae stated the search was a planned probe taking advantage of new opportunities from the rain. Police searched over 30 kilometers of waterways and creek beds, plus bores and wells. This search concluded with no new evidence found.
Search Results:Despite 11 large-scale searches, no physical evidence of Gus Lamont has been located.
Legal Proceedings
Separate to the disappearance investigation, Josie Murray, 75, a grandparent of Gus Lamont, was charged and convicted of a firearm offense. She pleaded guilty to one aggravated charge of possessing a sound moderator (gun silencer). The silencer was found in a passcode-protected strongroom alongside several firearms during a police search of the Oak Park Station homestead on January 15. The offense is unrelated to Gus's disappearance.
In an Adelaide Magistrates Court hearing, Murray was fined $10,500 and disqualified from holding or obtaining a firearms license for five years. The court was told Murray had a prior conviction from 2010 for failing to securely store firearms.
Public Appeals and Statements
Gus's parents, Josh and Jess Lamont, released a statement and new photo in February, appealing for any information, describing their lives as "shattered."
Gus's grandparents, Josie and Shannon Murray, issued a statement on February 6, expressing devastation over the major crime declaration and affirming they had "cooperated fully" with the investigation. In a later statement, Josie Murray publicly denied police allegations that she was involved in covering up his death, calling the theory "ludicrous." She stated her belief that Gus may have been abducted and suggested police investigate other possibilities.
Related Investigation
Police investigated and discounted several theories regarding the disappearance, including dingoes (minimal in the area), crocodiles (not native), and an eagle attack (Gus's weight of 13-14 kg was noted as potentially too large). No arrests or charges related to the disappearance have been made.
Crime Stoppers contact: 1800 333 000