Police confirm human remains found in north Queensland those of missing man Jayden Penno-Tompsett
Human remains found in north Queensland belong to a missing New South Wales man last seen eight years ago, according to police.
www.abc.net.auHere’s the latest I can verify based on available reporting up to May 2026.
- Jayden Penno-Tompsett was identified posthumously from remains found in Queensland. Police confirmed on January 23–26, 2026 that the remains found in Breddan near Charters Towers in 2025 belonged to him, ending eight years of uncertainty around his disappearance in 2017. This determination followed forensic DNA analysis and a coronal process is underway.[2][3][4]
- The 2021 coroner’s inquest had previously concluded that he likely died from exposure after leaving his vehicle during a drug-related episode in the early hours of December 31, 2017, while traveling from Newcastle to Cairns; authorities have since treated the case as non-suspicious in terms of foul play, with the coronial investigation ongoing.[4]
- Reactions from family and a dedicated Facebook page expressed relief that his remains have been located, while also honoring the family’s privacy during this sad time.[3][2]
If you’d like, I can pull together a concise timeline (disappearance, searches, remains found, identification, current coronial status) and share reputable sources with direct quotes. Would you prefer a brief timeline or a short summary with source links?
Note: Given the sensitive nature, I can also help track any public statements from Queensland Police or the NSW family statements, and set up a quick digest of ongoing coronial proceedings if new details emerge.