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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Tim Piccione

Coroner seeking community information about 'suspicious' death

Deanne and Richard Booth outside court last month, following a preliminary hearing for Nathan Booth's, inset, coronial inquest. Pictures Tim Piccione, supplied

Community members with information about Nathan Booth can now directly contact the coronial inquest into his "suspicious" death.

About 20 of the man's family and friends attended the ACT Coroner's Court on Tuesday in a show of support.

"It's quite moving to me to see Nathan so well represented in this room," coroner Ken Archer said.

The 40-year-old Indigenous Kambah man was found in the Murrumbidgee River south of Kambah Pool in December 2019 by two schoolboys, about six months after being reported missing.

How and why he ended up in such a remote place remains a mystery.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Joe Kellaway, said the inquest had formally set up an email address going directly to his instructing solicitors.

Anyone with information about the death of Nathan Booth can contact the inquest at: NBinquest@courts.act.gov.au.

"This is our way of communicating with people within the community who may have something to say, who may be reluctant about how to come forward," Mr Kellaway said.

The court previously heard the Booth family's concerns that witnesses were scared to share key evidence.

Mr Kellaway also said the inquest hearings were going to take place in two parts, beginning with a five-day block in December, dedicated to forensic evidence and a visit to the site where Nathan's body was found.

A second block is set to take place in April or May next year, focusing on Nathan's missing person investigation and trying to piece together the trail of those who last saw the man alive.

The coroner said the inquest was "out of the ordinary".

"It raises issues about our community in a way that other inquests, I don't think, do," Mr Archer said.

The court heard the family were making inquiries with Legal Aid for representation throughout the process.

"It is very much in the public interest that the Legal Aid office provides appropriate assistance to your family to participate in this inquest in a proper way," Mr Archer said.

"It is a difficult case in a legal and factual sense."

Tuesday marked four years since Nathan was last seen alive.

Another directions hearing is set to take place on August 21.

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