Leslie Trotter, who lives in Brisbane, was reported missing by her family at the end of March. Police first searched for her on roads where she often hiked, and closed off the area at the end of April.
But soon after, the investigation took an unexpected turn. Authorities announced that they had evidence that the 78-year-old woman had been killed and her remains hidden in a trash can. CNN.
Since then, 23 vehicles have been used to transport household waste to the Queensland landfill, so the police have to sift through 3,000 tons of garbage. So far, only 13 percent have been searched, so the search will likely take weeks. Documents from a resident who lives next door to the woman were found, so the police believe they are on the right track.
Chief Inspector Andrew Massingham explained the process in detail: “On site, the waste extracted from the ground is covered in strips 30 meters deep, then sorted by hand and ignited by Australian Defense Force workers.”
He added that the woman was known for her own habit of putting the residents’ waste in the wrong place in the appropriate trash can. “This really upset the local population,” the investigator added.
