The investigation into the death of Crystal Beale in the Brisbane River continues as police work to reconstruct her final hours. Ms. Beale’s body was discovered at 5:40 AM on February 22nd by a member of the public, marking the culmination of a frantic search following suspicions of foul play.
Authorities have established a timeline beginning with Ms. Beale’s departure from a family dinner in Sunnybank at 8:30 PM on February 21st. She was traveling with her son and former partner in a vehicle that then proceeded to Annerley, before ultimately arriving at Ryan Street in West End.
““It is 1km from her last confirmed sighting to where we located her personal belongings at Orleigh Park,” stated Detective Acting Inspector Rod Watts. “If Crystal had taken this route on foot, part of her journey should have been captured on CCTV, but we are yet to receive any eyewitness accounts or CCTV footage to confirm this.”
Her former partner identified as the last individual to see her alive, recounting that she exited the car at Ryan Street at 9:30 PM. The following day, Ms. Beale’s remains were found within the Brisbane River.
Evidence recovered from the scene includes one of her shoes discovered amongst bushes on Ryan Street and several personal items located near Orleigh Park, a site approximately 1 kilometer from her last known location. Investigators are struggling to determine how she traveled from Ryan Street to the riverbank.
““The piece of the puzzle we are trying to understand is how Crystal got from Ryan Street into the Brisbane River,” Detective Acting Inspector Rod Watts explained. “We have diligently examined over 1000 hours of CCTV footage, but unfortunately, our efforts have been unsuccessful in providing any leads.”
Ms. Beale was described by those who knew her as a devoted mother of two and a respected member of the Sunshine Coast community, with no apparent motive for violence. Police are appealing to anyone who may have information about the events of that Friday evening to come forward. ““Even if the information you have seems small, it may be the crucial piece of the puzzle we need to solve what happened to Crystal that night,” Watts emphasized.
