Warning: This story contains content some readers may find distressing.
Story, 39, was allegedly killed by his girlfriend, former reality TV star Tamika Chesser, following a small fire in the couple’s home in Port Lincoln on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula on June 19.
Today, a member of the public found a human skull in scrub area in Port Lincoln, six weeks after Story’s body was found without its head in the pair’s unit.
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said he believed the skull is Story’s, although the remains are subject to forensic analysis.
The skull was found in bushland near Hindmarsh Street in Port Lincoln by a member of the public walking their dog.
It was an area police had not previously searched.
“One of those situations where the dog ran off into the scrub, the dog didn’t come back immediately on being called,” Fielke said.
“The person who’s walking the dog has gone in to see what’s going on and that’s how those remains were discovered.
“They weren’t on the walking track, or in visible sight or vision of the walking track, you actually had to walk into that scrub area to find it.”
A crime scene has been established where the skull was found.
Fielke said Story’s family have been contacted following the discovery.
“Hopefully we can give them some comfort that we’ve found all of the remains of Julian,” he said.
Chesser was arrested at the scene and later charged with Story’s murder.
“We know that after his alleged murder, Julian was dismembered,” Fielke told media last month.
Police had called for the public’s help to track Chesser’s movements as they searched for Story’s missing remains.
“It is crucial that we locate Julian’s head,” Fielke said at the time.
“I can only imagine the grief this is causing Julian’s family.
“Julian’s family are devastated.”
Police believe Story was murdered at about midnight on Tuesday, June 17.
Fielke said police had not determined a motive.
Chesser was charged with murder, disposing of human remains to pervert the course of justice, and assaulting a police officer.
Her identity was revealed after Magistrate Ben Sale lifted a suppression order on it in Adelaide Magistrates Court.
She appeared in court via video link and was refused bail when she first appeared last week via a bedside hearing.
Chesser is being held under a mental health detention order.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
