FluxVlog

Three people have been charged with the murder of a South Australian man who disappeared more than two years ago.

Michael Jeffrey Purse, 32, was reported missing on April 24, 2019 but was last seen in Adelaide’s CBD more than two months earlier on February 6.

His disappearance was declared a major crime in May 2019, sparking an investigation into Mr Purse’s whereabouts.

A number of locations have been searched but officers have so far failed to find him.

But on Wednesday, police searched three addresses in Adelaide, Northfield and Prospect where they found and arrested three suspects who have all been charged with murder in connection to Mr Purse’s disappearance.

“Locating Michael’s body remains a primary focus for detectives who will continue to investigate and search for his body,” South Australia Police said in a statement.

A 39-year-old man from Adelaide Plains, a 24-year-old man of no fixed address, and a 36-year-old man from Kilburn have been refused bail and are due to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon.

In May last year, Superintendent Des Bray appealed for public assistance to identify a good Samaritan who assisted the suspected killers whose car was bogged while they attempted to dispose of the body.

He said Mr Purse was involved in low-level drug dealing, drug use and was committing thefts and frauds to support his addiction.

“He was reported (missing) by a concerned friend … as that friend hadn't seen him for some time,” Superintendent Bray said.

“His mum, who now lives in Germany, ordinarily had contact with him every two weeks but hadn’t heard from him since February.”

Leading up to his disappearance, Superintendent Bray said Mr Purse was victim to a number of assaults, had even been kidnapped and on one occasion was threatened with a firearm and struck with it.

“We know he had some issues within the drug community but also had some conflict with a person we believe to be involved in the murder.”

Investigators believed Mr Purse was collected from the Adelaide Casino by a suspect involved in his murder and voluntarily left with that person.

He was then taken to a Kilburn unit where he stayed until the early hours of February 7 and was allegedly killed that morning by some of the occupants, according to Superintendent Bray.

Police allege his body was then put into the boot of a green Daewoo hatch and driven to the Adelaide Plains with the intention of disposing of his body.

Police allege it was on that trip the vehicle became bogged and a passer-by unknowingly helped pull them out of the bog they were stuck in.

Superintendent Bray said police will allege the suspects turned around and headed back to the unit because the sun had risen and it was too late to dispose of the body.

He alleged Mr Purse’s body was left in the boot until the early hours of February 8 when the men went back to the Adelaide Plains and disposed of the body.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7zZqroqeelrlwv86uq6FlkarAtb7ApaCaZ6Sdv6axjKysrKiVmMG0ecKhmKuflZl6uLXToWSmraKZsrN5zq%2Bcq2WdnrCprcSlZKOdlpu%2FpsWMqayrq5WoeqW10pqnqZ2Rp66vr8RopZ6vo2LAtbvRsmZqbmlqs3iCxJ%2Bcbm1pm7N3gZhtbnJrlm6wpbCRnmpubA%3D%3D