Sydney man to be extradited to Queensland over alleged cold case murder of his former partner in 1997

The ex-partner of a woman whose body was found at the foot of a cliff in 1997 will be extradited to Brisbane where he is expected to face charges.

Keith Lees, 72, will be flown from NSW to Queensland accompanied by detectives after a Sydney court approved his extradition on Thursday.

He was arrested on January 2 in connection with the death of his former partner, 25-year-old disability and aged care nurse Meaghan Louise Rose.

Lees was charged in NSW with identity fraud and assault after allegedly biting a police officer, but these were dropped to allow the extradition to go ahead.

The 72-year-old had spent about 18 months evading an arrest warrant after being questioned by police under an alleged false identity.

The court was told a flight had been arranged to take Lees to Queensland where he is expected to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.

Ms Rose’s body was discovered at the foot of Point Cartwright Cliffs on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on July 18, 1997.

Although the death was initially ruled a suicide, investigators reopened the case in 2009 and a $500,000 reward for information was announced in June 2023.

Ms Rose’s body was discovered at the foot of Point Cartwright Cliffs (pictured) on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on July 18, 1997.

At the time, Queensland detectives traveled to Victoria and spoke to Lees before his car was found abandoned the next day in Portland in the state’s south-west.

He is alleged to have given a false name to other officers in Port Fairy before being caught on CCTV buying new clothes in Geelong and last seen at Shepparton train station.

Lees’ family members publicly called on him to stop fleeing the interstate arrest warrant.

One of his adult children, Wren Dawnsong, who was living with Lees when Ms Rose was allegedly murdered, told Daily Mail Australia the arrest was a huge relief.

“I am stunned and relieved that he has finally been found and I am very grateful to the public who came forward with the right information at the right time,” they said.

“It was really stressful.”

Wren wasn’t surprised when he heard their father had ended up in Sydney.

“He literally could have been anywhere in the country. My only real surprise is that he was on the run for a year and a half. I didn’t think he had it in him!’ they said.

He was arrested on January 2 in connection with the death of his former partner, 25-year-old Meaghan Louise Rose (pictured)

“But he’s a tough son of a bitch and I’m just glad he was found.”

Wren has spoken out in the past about Lees’ disappearance, telling reporters that he needed to “man up” and turn himself in in 2023.

They believe an episode of the Australian True Crime Podcast released last week prompted a member of the public to share new information with police.

The podcast featured interviews with both Wren and Ms. Rose’s sister, Christine.

“It’s breathtaking to have a result almost immediately,” Wren said.

Wren was only eleven years old and living with Lees when Mrs. Rose died.

Lees previously served 18 years in prison for the 2001 murder of Barry Waters, whose decapitated body he dumped in bushland in Reefton, Victoria.

He had been a friend of Mr. Waters and began a romantic affair with the man’s wife.