Leo Daly has not been seen since the morning of 5 April 1998. He was last seen at his home address at Mitchell Park by his house mate.
Police believe that Leo was in fear for his life in March 1998 due to drug debts. It is believed that because of these debts he was assaulted by criminal associates at a house in Mitchell Park and his body taken out to sea, shot and thrown overboard. His body has never been located.
Police suspect he has been murdered.
If you have information that may assist police in the disappearance of Leo please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Police are on the hunt for a suspected serial killer who could have buried three bodies in the Murraylands or Mallee in the 1990s.
Juan Morgan, David McWilliams and Robert Pendergast are believed to have been murdered in the 1990s and their bodies buried in the eastern region of country South Australia.
A fourth man, Leo Daly, is believed to have been taken out to sea, shot and thrown overboard in April 1998 by the same suspect.
While suspects for each of the presumed murders are known to police, they do not have enough information to charge and prosecute those responsible.
Major Crime Branch senior detective Mark McEachern said police believed the same man was responsible for murdering members of a drug network.
"The only information investigators have is that three of the victims (Juan Morgan, David McWilliams and Robert Pendergast) may be have been disposed of east of Adelaide but as far as a region goes, we cannot be more specific," he said.
"A search was conducted at the Ferries McDonald National Park, near Monarto in 1999, but nothing was located and that area could not be further advanced."
David McWilliams was 39 when he was believed to have been murdered on either July 29 or 30, 1998.
Police have received information that Mr McWilliams was shot and buried at an unknown location, possibly in the eastern region of country South Australia.
He is believed to have been murdered to stop his boasting about the involvement of he and others in the murder of Leo Daly.
Robert Pendergast was 31 when his mother reported him missing on May 27, 1999.
She last spoke with him on February 6, 1999 when he was staying in Adelaide but he has not been seen or heard from since.
New South Wales police arrested Mr Pendergast in April 1998 for cannabis trafficking and he reportedly stayed with criminal associates in Adelaide during 1999.
It is believed at least two of the associates were responsible for his murder, thought to be due to a drug debt.
Police believe Mr Pendergast was shot and buried at a country location somewhere east of Adelaide.
Juan Morgan, 15, was identified as missing by police in 1999 during investigations into the disappearances of David McWilliams, Leo Daly and Robert Pendergast.
It is believed soon after February 25, 1992 Morgan was taken to an unknown location, possibly in the eastern region of country South Australia, where he was shot, killed and buried because he stole a car from a criminal associate and damaged property.
-?Details: If you have any information that may help police, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at sa.crimestoppers. com.au.
You can remain anonymous and there is $1.6 million worth of rewards on offer for information that leads to an arrest.
Posted on 06/04/2020 Crimestoppers SA
Leo Daly has not been seen since the morning of 5 April 1998.
The 33-year old was last seen at his home address at Mitchell Park by his house mate.
Police believe that Mr Daly was in fear for his life in March 1998 due to drug debts.
The petty criminal, who was also involved in the drug world, is believed to have been bashed in April 1998 at a Mitchell Park house by two men before being taken to sea off Cape Jervis and dumped overboard.
The motive for his murder was apparently a $1000 drug debt.
His body has never been located.
In 1999 two suspects were arrested and charged with Mr Daly’s murder. These charges were later withdrawn when a key witness refused to give evidence.
Both persons remain suspects in this matter.
One of the suspects is also believed to be involved in the disappearances and suspected murders of David McWilliams, Robert Pendergast and 15-year old Juan Morgan.
Police believe that there are probably only three people who know what happened in relation to each of these four men.
Part of the reason these cases remain unsolved is because the information about the disappearances is tightly held by a criminal group who were mostly committing theft, re-birthing stolen vehicles and drug trafficking.
There is a total of $1.6 million available in rewards in connection with Operation Jarrah – not just for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible but for recovery of the remains of these four men.
A reward of up to $200,000 is on offer to anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction for the suspected murder or the recovery of Leo Daly’s remains.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au