A man has been charged with murder after a mother-of-two disappeared 11 years ago.
Allison Bernard, 23, walked out of the Exchange Hotel in Coen in Far North Queensland 11 years ago and was never seen again.
She was expected to travel to Kowanyama, but she never arrived.
After more than a decade of intrigue surrounding the case – and the recent offer of a $500,000 reward – police have made a breakthrough.
On Tuesday evening they charged a 62-year-old Coen man with murder.
He previously assisted police in their investigation into Ms Bernard’s ‘suspicious disappearance’.
Allison Bernard walked out of the Exchange Hotel in Coen, Queensland, 11 years ago and was never seen again
The 23-year-old mother-of-two left the pub that evening with stranger Thomas Byrnes (right), who told her she had passed his house before ‘walking around’.
He will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court later today.
“A man has been charged with murder in connection with the suspicious disappearance of 23-year-old Kowanyama woman Allison Bernard in 2013,” a Queensland Police spokesperson said.
‘Allison was last seen at Archer River Quarry on Sunday 10 February 2013 at around 11pm.
“She was seen that evening at the Exchange Hotel in Coen and was due to travel to Kowanyama but never arrived.”
Mrs. Bernard has left that evening to the pub with stranger Thomas Byrnes, who told her she had passed his house before ‘walking around’.
Archer River Quarry caretaker Mr Byrnes is said to have been the last person to see Ms Bernard alive after he picked her up from the pub that evening in February 2013.
Mrs Bernard had been at the Exchange Hotel in the moments before she disappeared
Ms Bernard disappeared in February 2013
He has previously denied any involvement in her disappearance.
Last year, on the 10th anniversary of Ms Bernard’s disappearance, her family released a statement when the reward was announced.
“We, the Bernard family, are still devastated by Allison’s disappearance. Her absence continues to impact our lives and our community, especially her children,” they said.
“We acknowledge the reward announcement by the Minister for Police and we encourage anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward.
“Family members deserve the respect that the questions surrounding her disappearance are answered.”