Has the body of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio finally been found? Human remains have been discovered in the Australian outback, near where he and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were ambushed more than 20 years ago.

Police searching for the remains of British backpacker Peter Falconio have found bones in the Australian outback – almost 22 years after he was killed by a drug kingpin who also tried to kidnap his girlfriend.

Mr Falconio, of Hepworth, Huddersfield, was shot dead by Bradley Murdoch in July 2001. The convicted murderer refused to admit responsibility or reveal where the 28-year-old’s body was left.

But today it emerged that bone fragments were found near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, several hundred kilometers from where he died while crossing the country in a Volkswagen camper with his girlfriend Joanne Lees.

The remains, found this week, are in a location where detectives always believed his body was left by Murdoch and are being tested to see if it belongs to Mr Falconio. Dental data may also be used. Remains were also discovered in 2003, 2004 and 2007, but were not his.

“We’ve followed this lead before, so let’s not jump to conclusions,” said a detective from the Northern Territory.

But a source said the age and location of the bones matched Mr. Falconio and the case that has fascinated Britain and Australia for decades.

Murdoch is serving 28 years in prison. He is eligible for parole in 10 years – but will not be released without revealing the location of Peter’s remains under the Northern Territory’s “no body, no release” laws.

Northern Territory police have searched for the body of the British tourist on several occasions over the years in the hope of finding his remains (pictured Mr Falconio and Ms Lees). Joanne Lees (right) would escape from Murdoch and go into hiding before raising the alarm

Peter and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were in a camper van when they were arrested by drug smuggler Bradley Murdoch (pictured right), who Mr. Falconio shot and tried to kidnap Ms Lees.

On 14 July 2001, Peter and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were in an RV on the remote Stuart Highway (pictured) between Alice Springs and Darwin.

It’s unknown what brought police to the scene, but it emerged last year that Peter’s family was tipped off just hours after a $1 million reward was offered for information.

Reports from the time suggested a new potential witness had been found, raising hopes of a breakthrough for his grieving parents, Joan and Luciano – and Mrs Lees.

Forensic scientists will use DNA and dental records to determine if the human remains belong to the backpacker.

Mr Falconio and Ms Lees were traveling in an orange camper van on the remote Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Darwin on July 14, 2001.

They were arrested by Murdoch, who shot Mr Falconio and tried to kidnap Mrs Lees.

She managed to escape and hid in the bush for hours before stopping a lorry and raising the alarm – but no trace of her boyfriend’s body was ever found.

Bradley Murdoch grabbed Joanne Lees, tied her with zip ties and strapped her to the back of his car. She would later recreate it in the hope that someone would help find Peter

Bradley Murdoch is said to have hidden the remains somewhere in the vast desert between Alice Springs and Broome, 1,700 miles away in Western Australia.

Joan Falconio (pictured with Peter’s father Luciano) is still haunted by the loss of her son 21 years ago on a remote stretch of road between Alice Springs and Darwin

Last September, Peter’s 75-year-old mother broke her silence to ask for information about the whereabouts of her son’s body on his 50th birthday.

Ms Falconio asked “everyone of conscience” to help find his remains.

Bradley Murdoch is eligible for parole in 10 years but will not be released without revealing the whereabouts of Peter Falconio’s body under NT’s no body, no release laws

This led to a new witness coming forward who revealed that 24 hours after the murder he saw a ute – just like the killer’s – parked “in a strange place” near a culvert and bridge.

Mrs. Lees is now 48 and lives in Huddersfield and is still in touch with Peter’s parents.

The pair were touring Australia in 2001 when Murdoch pulled up alongside and signaled for them to stop, claiming flames shot out of the back of their van.

When Mr. Falconio goes back to inspect it with Murdoch, he is shot.

Murdoch then grabbed Mrs Lees, tied her up with zip ties and loaded her into the back of his car.

She managed to break free when he disposed of Mr Falconio’s body and their van, and hid in the bush to avoid Murdoch’s dog as he searched for her.

Murdoch finally gave up and drove off with the body before Mrs. Lees flagged down a truck and was taken to a nearby Barrow Creek roadhouse.

The police search for Mr. Falconio and his killer then began 21 years ago and eventually led to the arrest of Murdoch, who claimed his innocence after Ms Lee’s T-shirt DNA matched his own.

Joanne Lees managed to free himself when he found the body of Mr. got rid of Falconio and their van (pictured in the High Court car park in Darwin in 2005) and hid in the bush to avoid Murdoch’s dog when he approached her.

He is now serving his life at Darwin Correctional Centre.

Murdoch is believed to have hidden the remains somewhere in the vast desert between Alice Springs and Broome, 1,700 miles away in Western Australia.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that police have emptied a well where Mr. Falconio’s body was dumped in 2019.

Detectives went to the site of the Neutral Junction cattle station, which is just a mile from where Mr. Falconio was shot, referred after a witness came forward to say he had such a utete there on the night of the attack which was witnessed by Murdoch.

A television crew led by Today Tonight reporter Frank Pangallo – now a South Australian state politician for the SA BEST Party – first explored the site in 2014, but the source was 15 meters deep and inaccessible.

But the police in 2019 at the personal request of Mr. Falconio’s mother returned to the site and made a full investigation, but found no trace of him.

“Ms Falconio contacted me and asked if I could persuade the NT Police to do a full search of the well to rule out the lead,” Mr Pangallo told Daily Mail Australia.

“Then I arranged an affidavit from the eyewitness, a cattle station lorry driver, and sent it to senior NT police.

NT Police found him credible and drained the well in a five-day operation in 2019, but unfortunately found nothing.

“It was the right thing for her and I commend her efforts.”