One of Australia’s largest and longest manhunts, which has spanned across three states and nearly eight years, has concluded with New South Wales (NSW) police apprehending father-son fugitives Gino and Mark Stocco.
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A BODY has been found at the property near Dunedoo, New South Wales where Gino and Mark Stocco were arrested earlier today.
Police in Victoria, Queensland and NSW were looking for the fugitives after the 58-year-old father and his 35-year-old son were involved in a number of offences including theft, property damage and arson.
While he has not yet been formally identified, it is believed to be that of a 68-year-old man who has been missing since October 8.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Clint Pheeney said police were treating the death as a murder investigation and a crime scene had been established at the property.
NSW Police said the pair had been arrested near Dubbo, NSW, just before midday on Wednesday.
Their location was confirmed by a sighting of the Stoccos in a local bakery, where they reportedly ordered two cappuccinos on the morning of their arrest.
According to police, when they returned to the Dunedoo farm on Monday the father and son were driving a stolen white Land Cruiser which they had now disguised with lengths of brown hessian.
Police later stated they had discovered a body on the same property.
After their arrest, the pair were taken to Dubbo Hospital to be treated for injuries the police say they received while resisting arrest.
“If we look at how these people operated and if we look at the expanse of country out here, the number of roads that are sealed, unsealed, back roads, forestry trails, these people knew the bush”, he said.
“But it was always going to be a case…it was only going to be a matter of time before we tracked them down”.
Elong Elong Rural Property Centre director Denise Male said she sold the property Pinevale, where the men were arrested, only past year.
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Mr Redding said he hired the father and son pair from April to October, 2013, as caretakers for his small cattle property, 22km west of Cecil Plains.
