Police Search Again for Clues in Missing Boy Gus Lamont Case

Police have returned to Oak Park Station in South Australia to search for more clues about missing four-year-old Gus Lamont. They are now looking for evidence, as they believe Gus may have been harmed. This is part of a major crime investigation.
By Newsroom | Missing Persons, South Australia |

Police have returned to Oak Park Station, a remote property in South Australia's north-east, to conduct a new, two-day search for evidence in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont. Gus was last seen at the station on September 27 last year. While initial searches focused on finding the child, this latest operation is aimed at gathering evidence after police declared the case a major crime and identified a suspect. This development follows an earlier arrest of a 75-year-old individual from Grampus on unrelated firearm offences during a prior search of the station.

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Background of the Investigation

Gus Lamont was reported missing from Oak Park Station, located near Yunta, on September 27, 2025. The initial response involved extensive ground and air searches, including the use of survival experts, SES crews, local trackers, and mounted police, covering an area of nearly 500 square kilometers. Despite these efforts, no conclusive evidence regarding Gus's whereabouts was found.

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  • Family members living at the property at the time of Gus's disappearance include his grandparents, his mother, and his younger brother.

  • Police have stated that Gus's parents are not under investigation.

  • On February 5, 2026, South Australian Police declared Gus's disappearance a major crime, indicating they no longer believed he had simply wandered off or been abducted.

New Search Operations and Evidence Gathering

The current police operation, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, involves detectives from Taskforce Horizon returning to Oak Park Station to search for evidence. This focus on evidence gathering signifies a shift from earlier searches, which were primarily aimed at locating Gus.

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  • Previous searches at Oak Park Station on January 14 and 15 resulted in the seizure of a vehicle, a motorcycle, and electronic devices.

  • A separate three-day search of six mine shafts near Oak Park Station also failed to yield any evidence.

Identification of a Suspect

Police have identified a person who lives at Oak Park Station as a suspect in Gus's disappearance and presumed death. This individual is not Gus's parents. The announcement of a suspect was made on February 5, 2026, shortly before the case was declared a major crime.

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  • Gus's grandparents, Shannon and Josie Murray, have reportedly retained legal counsel after police indicated a family member residing at Oak Park Station was considered a suspect.

  • Authorities have indicated they no longer expect to find Gus alive.

Firearm Offences Arrest

As a result of a previous search at Oak Park Station, a 75-year-old individual from Grampus was arrested and charged with firearm offences. Police have emphasized that these charges are unrelated to Gus Lamont's disappearance.

  • The arrest and charges were confirmed by police on Monday, February 16, 2026.

  • This individual is expected to appear in court at a later date.

Theories and Circumstances

Investigators initially considered three primary scenarios for Gus's disappearance:

  • That he wandered off from the property.

  • That he was abducted.

  • That someone known to Gus was involved in his disappearance and suspected death.

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The recent declaration of a suspect living at the station appears to narrow the focus of the investigation towards the latter two possibilities. Gus was last seen by his grandmother playing on a mound of dirt at the property around 5 pm on September 27, 2025.

  • "Police said they had arrested a 75-year-old from Grampus and charged them with firearm offences." — The Guardian

  • "Officers returned to the area surrounding Oak Park Station to search for Gus' remains on February 2, but uncovered no evidence." — 9News

  • "SA Police said officers from a group investigating his disappearance will be searching for evidence at Oak Park Station, in South Australia's north-east, on Monday and Tuesday." — ABC News

  • "Police have launched a fresh search for evidence in the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont at his grandparents' remote station where he vanished." — Daily Mail

  • "On 5 February, police declared someone living at the remote station was a suspect in Gus' disappearance and likely death." — SBS News

  • "Police on February 5 declared someone living at the remote station was a suspect in Gus's disappearance and likely death." — 1News

  • "Police said a person who lives on the property has been identified as a suspect but confirmed the boy's parents were not under investigation." — BBC News

  • "Detectives said they no longer expect to find Gus alive when they revealed bombshell details of their ongoing investigation earlier this month." — NZ Herald

  • "On February 5, South Australia Police made a desperately sad announcement: they no longer believed this was a case of a child innocently coming a cropper in the harsh Outback." — Daily Mail

  • "Police said earlier this month that a person who lived at the property was a suspect in his disappearance." — RNZ

  • "Acting Officer in Charge of Major Crime Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Andrew Macrae confirmed that a 75-year-old has now been charged, the charges are not related to the disappearance of the four-year-old." — The Mirror

  • "On Thursday, February 5, Major Crime officer in charge Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke held a press conference where he revealed Gus Lamont's disappearance was now considered a major crime investigation." — ABC News

  • "'As a result of a previous search at Oak Park Station, Task Force Horizon detectives have today arrested a 75-year-old from Grampus and charged them with firearm offences,' a spokesperson said on Monday." — Daily Mail

  • "Det Supt Darren Fielke, the officer in charge of major crime, said police had effectively ruled out Gus wandering off and Gus being abducted." — The Guardian

  • "Only three people were on the property at the time of Gus' disappearance, Fielke said." — 9News

Sources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are police searching Oak Park Station again?
Police are looking for evidence to help solve the case of missing boy Gus Lamont. They want to find out what happened to him.
Q: Is Gus Lamont still missing?
Yes, Gus Lamont was last seen in September last year. Police now believe he may have been harmed.
Q: Who is the suspect?
Police have identified a suspect who lives at Oak Park Station. They have said it is not Gus's parents.
Q: Were any other arrests made?
Yes, a 75-year-old man was arrested for gun offences, but this is not related to Gus Lamont's disappearance.