Inquest into the Suspected Death of Simon GURRIER-JONES
Inquest into the Suspected Death of Simon GURRIER-JONES
Delivered on : 27 October 2025
Delivered at : Perth
Finding of : Coroner Hartley
Recommendations : N/A
Orders/Rules : N/A
Suppression Order : N/A
Summary : Simon Gurrier-Jones (Simon) was 25 years old when he was last seen at his home in Riverton in the early afternoon on 19 June 2003. After he failed to attend a planned social event the next day, his family and friends became concerned for his welfare. Their concern was heightened when they located what appeared to be a suicide note on Simon’s computer. Simon’s family attended the Palmyra Police Station at 9.00 pm on 20 June 2003 and reported him as missing.
Police launched a search for Simon and were able to establish from bank records and CCTV footage that he had made purchases at four service stations that were progressively further east of his home address on 19 and 20 June 2003. Simon’s final recorded fuel purchase was at a service station on the Eyre Highway in Cocklebiddy at 8.02 am on 20 January 2003, a distance of 1050 kilometres from Riverton.
Eucla police were asked to assist in the search for Simon. Broadcasts about Simon were made to all roadhouses along the Eyre Highway and information was provided to the South Australian Police Station near the border with Western Australia. The Quarantine checkpoint in Ceduna where vehicles cross from Western Australia into South Australia was alerted to Simon’s disappearance and provided with details of his vehicle. Norseman police searched for Simon from Norseman to Cocklebiddy with the assistance from locals and those travelling through the area. On 27 June 2003 police officers from Eucla travelled 120 kms into South Australia in search of Simon. They were assisted by South Australian police officers from the Yalata station. That same day, police conducted an extensive aerial search for Simon and his vehicle. Simon’s father chartered planes to search for his son and he and other family members continued to search for Simon long after his disappearance.
Over the years since his disappearance the search for Simon has been featured in media articles, radio broadcasts, TV news stories and in detailed information contained in an online missing person register. Despite these efforts, Simon and his vehicle have never been found.
Proof of life enquiries were made with a large number of government agencies and institutions across Australia and no records were returned for Simon.
The Coroner was satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that Simon is deceased and was deceased in relative proximity to the time of his disappearance. The Coroner was unable to determine how Simon died and made an Open Finding as to the manner of his death.
Catch Words : Long Term Missing Person : Land and Air Search : Open Finding
Last updated: 20 November 2025