Plea for fresh leads on man who disappeared six weeks ago

Police in a tropical Queensland city have put out a plea for information after running dry on leads into the search for a well-loved local man who disappeared six weeks ago.

Mackay local Wayne Pedro Morseu, 71, was reported missing by family on November 10, but actually went missing several weeks earlier, police said.

“He hasn’t been seen now since mid-to-late October … [so] we’re treating it as suspicious until we know otherwise,” said regional crime co-ordinator Detective Superintendent Darrin Shadlow.

Wayne Pedro Morseu, 71, was declared missing from his Mackay home on November 10.Credit: Queensland Police

Stopping short of saying he expected the investigation to become a homicide case, Shadlow said police had no reason to suspect Morseu had knowingly cut off contact with those known to him.

“We’re obviously very hopeful that Mr Morseu will walk back through the door to his family,” Shadlow said.

“It’s very out of character for Mr Morseu not to have contact with his family – he generally had contact every couple of weeks.

“He’s a family-oriented man … [who] worked in the railway for a lot of years, so he has a lot of friends and family in the area. They’re worried for his welfare.

“He didn’t have a vehicle, he walked a lot of places that he went … [and] he had no medical conditions that we know of that would hinder him a great deal.”

Mackay police established two crime scenes on Friday – three weeks after Morseu was reported missing – at a property on River Street, near Pioneer River, and Morseu’s home on Griffin Street.

Shadlow said police declared the Griffin Street crime scene after discovering that someone had moved into the house after Morseu disappeared. They were no longer investigating the River Street property.

“The Griffin Street residence is still having forensic examinations conducted … that has been ongoing for a number of days now,” Shadlow said.

Shadlow urged anyone with knowledge of Morseu’s whereabouts, or information that could be linked to his disappearance, to contact police.

“No matter how small you might think it is please contact Crime Stoppers or your local police,” he said.

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