Body Found in Tank Identified as Missing Grandmother, Homicide Investigation Launched
Police confirm the decomposing remains of 73-year-old Yvonne Whear, missing since February 2026, were discovered on a rural New South Wales property.
The decomposing body of 73-year-old Yvonne Whear, who disappeared in February 2026, has been identified by authorities who have launched a homicide investigation. Her remains were discovered partially submerged in a tank used for treating livestock on a rural property in New South Wales.
Ms. Whear was last seen on CCTV in Murwillumbah on February 19, 2026, purchasing orange juice and topping up her mobile phone credit at a Shell service station. Security footage later showed her driving towards her hobby farm on the outskirts of Dungay, near the Queensland border. Phone records indicated she accessed her voicemail shortly before 5 p.m. that day, with the last signal from her phone detected near Dungay around 10 a.m. the following morning, February 20. The device has not been detected since.
Her daughter, Gillian Hallac, grew concerned after two days passed without contact, as Ms. Whear maintained regular communication with her family. Initial searches for Ms. Whear and her gold Ford Escape focused on the region's roads, but investigators later expanded their efforts, employing drones, helicopters, and divers in the Rous and Tweed rivers.
In mid-September 2026, seven months after her disappearance, police divers located the missing SUV submerged in the Rous River. Items believed to belong to Ms. Whear were recovered from the vehicle, which was then sent for forensic examination.
Ms. Whear was reportedly involved in a long-standing dispute over the lease for the farm she had rented for 23 years, where she kept various animals. She was scheduled to attend a hearing at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal the week following her disappearance. Her daughter told the Sydney Morning Herald in August that her mother had no reason to abandon her life and responsibilities, stating, "She had a life with plans and responsibilities and people who loved her."
Acting Superintendent Matt Zimmer of the Tweed/Byron Police District stated that investigators are determined to identify those responsible and provide answers for Ms. Whear's family. Police are urging anyone with information to contact Tweed Heads Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.