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French tourist stabbed to death at remote rest stop in Australian outback

The suspect fled the scene but was arrested on Thursday morning after an overnight manhunt

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Northern Territory Detective Superintendent Travis Wurst holds a photograph of a car suspected to have been involved in the murder of a French tourist. Photo: Reuters
The Guardian

A French tourist has died after being stabbed in the neck at a remote outback rest stop in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The 33-year-old man and his wife had stopped at Connor Well on the Stuart highway, about 100km north of Alice Springs, on Wednesday afternoon when it is believed they were approached by a 35-year-old man.

“The man has allegedly then stabbed the male tourist to the neck, in an unprovoked attack,” detective superintendent Travis Wurst told a media conference in Darwin on Thursday.

Police will continue to speak to a number of witnesses to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the death
Detective superintendent Travis Wurst

St Johns paramedics attended but the victim died at the scene. The man’s “traumatised” partner was being treated for shock at Alice Springs hospital.

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The suspect fled the scene but was arrested on Thursday morning after an overnight manhunt. Police have not yet given any details about his identity.

Detectives believe the remote rest stop was empty except for the victim, his wife and the suspect at the time of the attack.

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A motorist who came upon the scene then drove 30km to the nearest roadhouse to raise the alarm, contacting emergency services at about 5.30pm on Wednesday.

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