An inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of a teenage boy has been rocked by a shock new theory that he may have been kidnapped by bikies.
Markiah Major, 17, was last seen at his home in the Aboriginal Shire of Yarrabah in Far North Queensland on August 15 last year.
His mother raised the alarm two weeks later after he failed to make contact with family or access his bank account.
Police and volunteers conducted extensive searches for the teen but couldn’t find any trace.
A coronial inquest in Cairns this week will hear evidence from witnesses to help provide answers and closure for Markiah’s heartbroken family.
The first witness, a minor who cannot be named, told the inquest on Monday that the teen may have crossed paths with a bikie gang before his disappearance.
A coronial inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Markiah Major (pictured), 17, has revealed the teen may have crossed paths with bikies before vanishing
The witness told the inquest that Markiah was ‘hanging around the wrong people’ and alleged he had started taking drugs in the months before he vanished, the Cairns Post reported.
They also alleged he was stealing vehicles at the time and had taken a ‘flashy’ green car filled with large amounts of cash and drugs.
Days after Markiah disappeared, the witness claimed they saw an Instagram photo of him tied to a chair with blood on his head.
They recalled the post containing a paragraph of text but couldn’t remember what was written.
Other witnesses called to the stand will be probed about the presence of the car in Yarrabah four days after Markiah disappeared.
The car was not known to the small community of 2,500.
It was last seen unattended and parked next to a spring water creek with an unknown person’s wallet inside before it was later driven off.
A witness told the inquiry on Monday that they had seen an image of Markiah (pictured) bloodied and tied to a chair posted to Instagram days after he disappeared
Markiah’s mother told police at the time of her son’s disappearance that he had ‘gone out for a few days’ in the past and had expected to hear from him.
Acting Detective Inspector Chetham said the Markia’s mother ‘conducted her own inquires’ before approaching police, who then launched an investigation into his disappearance.
He added the teenager did not talk about leaving the area and did not have any confrontations with his family or friends.
Specialist police, including the dive squad and a human remains detection dog, in November launched a third search through bushland south of the small town.
Despite the extensive searches, police are yet to find any trace of the Markiah.
Police are yet to find any trace of the teenager despite several searches through bushland surrounding the town, including the dive squad (pictured) and a human remains detection dog
‘It’s really the lack of contact with family and friends that is the red flag for us,’ Inspector Chetham told the ABC at the time.
‘His mum tells us that she would have certainly expected contact well before now. Markiah has gone out for a few days at a time in the past, but nothing like this, so it is very unusual.’
He added that Markiah’s behaviour was ‘quite normal’ in the lead up to his disappearance.
Family, friends and community members attended a candlelight vigil last night on what would have been Markiah’s 18th birthday.
The three-day inquest continues.