The strange disappearance of a Northern Territory man who went missing from the tiny town of Larrimah in 2017 will be re-examined, with an inquest into his suspected death to resume later this year.
Patrick “Paddy” Moriarty, 70, has not been seen since the night he left the pub in Larrimah – which has a population of 11 people – and set off for home on his quad bike with his kelpie.
On Monday, the NT coroner’s office confirmed the inquest into his suspected death would resume in April, almost four years after the coroner, Greg Cavanagh, adjourned the case indefinitely – reportedly because he had spoken to almost everyone he could from the town.
Moriarty had feuded with other locals in the remote town south of Katherine before he vanished. The nature of his disappearance captivated audiences with the case the subject of a documentary, a podcast series and a book.
NT police said last year they suspected Moriarty had been murdered and announced a $250,000 reward for information.
“The investigation remains focused on establishing what happened to Paddy, where he might be and who is responsible,” Det Sgt Matthew Allen, who was leading the investigation, said in a statement at the time.
“We continue to follow up information from the public and a number of people have been eliminated from our inquiries. Somebody knows what happened. A 70-year-old man and his dog don’t just disappear from a tiny outback town. Police believe Paddy has been murdered.”
The reward was for information leading to the location of Moriarty’s body and the conviction of the person or people responsible for his death, Allen said.
“The case will only be closed when it is solved. Even if you don’t think you have any useful information, the smallest clue might be just what we need to resolve this case.”
