A Queensland coroner has ruled Brisbane woman Lesley Trotter is dead, almost two years after her mysterious disappearance outside her suburban home.
Trotter, 78, was reported missing from her Toowong unit in March 2023.
At the time, police determined that she had been inside a wheelie bin on Clayton Lane when it was collected by a rubbish truck on the morning of Tuesday, March 28.
It was unknown if she was alive or dead before the bin was collected and her body subsequently transported to a waste transfer station.
Despite an extensive search involving police and defence personnel sifting through about 3000 tonnes of rubbish at multiple waste transfer stations across the city, her body has never been found.
Coroner Donald MacKenzie has now ruled that Trotter is deceased but the cause of her death still remains “undetermined”.
Detectives at the time revealed Trotter was known to have fussed over recycling from waste in her neighbours’ bins and that it may have contributed to the events that unfolded that morning.
They have reportedly considered a number of theories including that she may have suffered a medical episode or that she possibly climbed into the bin.
Her family has been provided with the findings from the coroner’s office.
9News has approached Queensland Police for an update.
A spokesperson for the Coroners Court of Queensland issued a statement.
“The coronial investigation into the death of Ms Lesley Trotter is now finalised, with chamber findings provided to the family,” the spokesperson said.
“Coroner MacKenzie found that Ms Trotter is deceased but the cause of her death remains undetermined.
“No further information will be released at this time.”
