Warning: this article contains discussion of sexual assault of a minor that some may find distressing
Disturbing video footage captures the moment police solved an eight-year-old case, leading to the arrest of a man responsible for the murder of a teenager.
On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe had plans for a day out alone, intending to get a haircut and purchase Christmas gifts for his family.
The young Australian had reportedly visited the Sunshine Plaza shopping center in Queensland ‘more than a dozen times before’, according to a report from the Coroners Court of Queensland obtained by PEOPLE, traveling there by bus.
The bus stop was located under a mile from Morcombe’s home, so his parents, Bruce and Denise, had no initial worries.
However, they grew concerned when Daniel didn’t return from his trip along the Sunshine Coast and subsequently involved local authorities.
Initially, the teen was declared missing, but the case soon evolved into a murder investigation.
During the search, police interviewed 33 individuals identified as persons of interest, including Brett Peter Cowan, who was 29 at the time.
Police footage shows the moment Cowan was apprehended on August 13, 2011. It begins with officers instructing him to stay put after they approached him.
According to ABC News, Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Blanchfield stated: “We are investigating the abduction and murder of Daniel Morcombe.”
Cowan proceeded to use his mobile phone, seemingly speaking to someone, and asked the officers if he was under arrest.
Acting as if the officers were not present, Cowan was arrested for Daniel Morcombe’s murder, maintaining a calm demeanor and saying: “Yep, cool.”
He then spoke into his phone, saying, “I’m under arrest for Daniel’s, Daniel Morcombe’s murder.”
Officials noted that Cowan was seen driving in video footage near the location where the child vanished while waiting for a bus around 2 pm.
Initially, Cowan was cleared due to insufficient evidence, but a successful undercover operation led to his confession of abducting and assaulting Morcombe.
Cowan confided to an undercover officer that he parked at the Christian Outreach Center and approached Morcombe.
The filing indicates he took Daniel to an abandoned house, where the boy was murdered within an hour.
Cowan is reported to have sexually assaulted the teen and strangled him when he tried to flee.
He disposed of Morcombe’s remains at ‘an old sand mining site’ and discarded his clothing and shoes.
In March 2014, Cowan received a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years without parole.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivor’s Trust for free on 08088 010 818, or through their website thesurvivorstrust.org