Deceased
Paddy NANCE
Demographics
67y, male
Date of death
1999-09-30
Finding date
2020-05-13
Cause of death
Unable to determine
AI-generated summary
Paddy Nance, a 66–68 year-old Aboriginal man, disappeared from Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia on 30 September 1999 and was declared deceased by inquest in 2020. He left a relative's home after breakfast, was last seen walking towards Brooking Channel Creek, and was never found despite extensive police and SES searches. Medical records indicated he suffered renal failure and possible cognitive decline. The coroner established death beyond reasonable doubt based on: his failure to collect his pension (unprecedented), his previous pattern of getting lost but always being found, absence of any sightings after 30 September despite being well-known in the community, and the discovery of his jacket in an unexpected location. No cause or manner of death could be determined. The case highlights challenges in investigating disappearances in remote Indigenous communities with limited documentation and the importance of timely missing person reporting.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
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