‘Shocking’: Body of woman stuffed in suitcase found after ‘weekend drive’, police say

A body, believed to be that of a woman, has been found in a “state of decomposition” inside a suitcase near Goulburn in NSW’s Southern Tablelands, police say.

Two men on a weekend drive had stopped on the side of Wolgon Road at Oallen, about 60 kilometres south of Goulburn, when they made the “shocking discovery” on Sunday afternoon, according to Hume District Commander Linda Bradbury.

The body was found in a suitcase under a pine tree on the fringes of dense bushland, metres from the road, triggering the call to emergency services just before 1pm on Sunday.

The body is yet to be formally identified, and it is unclear how long the body had been there.

Officers have established a crime scene under Strike Force Bryton and have seized the suitcase for further examination. The State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad has been sent to Goulburn to assist the investigation.

Forensic teams placed evidence markers and photographed the crime scene on Sunday night.

Detectives conducted preliminary investigations at the scene, including an initial review of the body, aided by forensics officers. The body was removed from the scene late on Sunday.

Bradbury said Wolgon Road was not a heavy route for traffic but was “travelled frequently”. She said the body was in a “state of decomposition”.

“Forensic examination is under way to assist us in identifying how long that suitcase has been there,” Bradbury told ABC 702 radio on Monday morning.

“There’s very little we know at this point in time. The investigation is in the early stages, and we really are relying on forensic evidence to tell us a bit more.”

Police are working to match the remains with any outstanding missing persons on record.

Goulburn is 194 kilometres south-west of Sydney via the Hume Highway.

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