Death of Australian woman Elly Warren is ruled a homicide after her body was found behind a toilet block in Mozambique, Africa, in 2016
- Elly Warren, 20, found dead in Mozambique in 2016
- Local police have now ruled her death a homicide
- Father Paul Warren says police have ‘some suspects’
The death of a young Australian woman in Africa seven years ago has taken a new turn and local authorities have officially labeled it a homicide.
Elly Warren, 20, from Melbourne, was on the adventure of a lifetime volunteering abroad when fishermen found her lifeless body face down outside a toilet block in the coastal town of Tofo in Mozambique on November 9, 2016.
The aspiring marine biologist was discovered with cuts and bruises to her mouth and neck, her shirt ripped open and her underwear down to her knees.
No one has ever been charged with Mrs. Warren’s murder.
But local police are closing in on a potential suspect after launching a murder investigation, while a three-day corona investigation will take place in Australia on Tuesday.
Elly Warren (pictured), 20, of Melbourne, was found dead outside a toilet block in Mozambique’s coastal town of Tofo in November 2016
Ms Warren’s grief-stricken father, Paul Warren, who has extensively investigated his daughter’s death, described his relief at the verdict.
“It’s just nice to get that confirmation from Mozambique,” he said on Channel Nine’s Today show on Monday.
Mr Warren revealed that authorities had ‘some suspects’ but ‘not enough evidence to charge anyone at this stage’.
“It looks a lot more positive. With the inquest coming up, we’re going to present all the facts to the coroner now.’
“Hopefully the coroner in Australia can also rule that Elly’s death was murder.”
He only recently received news of the murder investigation by authorities in Mozambique.
It came after Australian federal police traveled to the African country and spoke to officials in May.
They came back with the conclusion that Mrs. Warren’s death was a homicide.
The AFP’s move was prompted by a request from state coroner John Cain, who urged officers to apply ‘further pressure’ after assuring Ms Warren’s parents that an inquest will be held in the coming months.
“Move heaven and earth to do what you can to try and get this family answers,” he said at the time.
Mr Warren described Judge Cain’s insistence on helping the family as ‘fantastic’ and said it ‘made a difference’.
The aspiring marine biologist was discovered with cuts and bruises on her mouth and neck, her shirt ripped open and her underwear on her knees
Ms Warren’s grief-stricken father, Paul Warren (pictured left with his daughter), described his relief after the official ruling in Mozambique
Forensic examination revealed that Elly had suffocated after inhaling sand on her lungs.
But the sand on her lungs was golden while the sand around the toilet block was black, suggesting her body had been moved.
The first formal police report in the case alleged that Ms. Warren died of a drug overdose despite no drugs being found in her system.
Mr Warren has always maintained that his daughter was murdered and that Mozambican authorities ‘covered up Elly’s murder’.
“You never get over something like that,” he told Nine News last November.
“This is just ridiculous that it has taken so long. There’s no question that Elly was murdered.’
“Mozambique’s autopsy report says this is a violent death and it’s murder, and that was from two pathologists.”
Mrs Warren would fly to Australia just days after her tragic death.