murder suspect with friends

This story is from our news.com.au network
Source: AAP
Murder suspect 'with friends'By David DixonFebruary 08, 2006
A DUBBO man who had been on the run for eight months after the killing of his cousin was almost certainly being harboured by friends, NSW police said today.Malcolm John Naden, 31, has been sought by police since June 23 last year after the body of Kristy Scholes, 24, was found on the floor of his bedroom at his grandparents' West Dubbo home.
Mr Naden also is wanted over the disappearance of another cousin, 24-year-old Lateesha Nolan, who had dropped two of her four children off at the same house on January 4 last year.
Shortly before Christmas last year, a dramatic manhunt led to the evacuation of the Dubbo Zoo after Mr Naden was reported to have been seen there.
Police later said they believed he had slipped through their perimeter
A former abattoir worker and shearer, Mr Naden is a skilled bushman but police believe he is relying on friends to help him evade police.
"We believe members of the Aboriginal community may be harbouring him," said Detective Sergeant Bryne Ruse, who heads the five member Strike Force Durkin investigating Ms Scholes' killing and Ms Nolan's disappearance.
"We have identified a group, but they are not from his tribe.
"We were fairly certain it was him at Dubbo. We had received vast amounts of information on his whereabouts.
"It's a pretty obvious place to hide, in and around the zoo.
"There are facilities to go to the toilet, it covers a large area, around 900 acres (360 hectares), and there are food sources available."
Mr Naden also is believed to have evaded police in August, after numerous sightings led to a search at the Grawin Opal Fields, 80km west of Walgett.
"We still believe he's in the western districts and that he's not living off his own bat," Det Sgt Ruse said.
He said Mr Naden was believed to be moving around an area from Armidale and Tamworth in the state's north, to Lightning Ridge in the west, and Parkes in the Central Tablelands.
Before disappearing, Mr Naden lived as a recluse for 16 years in his grandparents' house with his door bolted shut, climbing in and out through his bedroom window.
He refused to be photographed by family and police believe that he may have altered his appearance from that in one of the few photos available.
He disappeared on Monday, June 20, at the time Ms Scholes went missing.
Mr Naden is described as being of Aboriginal appearance, 177cm tall, 85kg, of medium build, with an olive complexion, brown eyes, shaved head, and possibly a moustache and beard.
"He's wanted for murder and therefore we have to treat him as someone who's potentially dangerous," Det Sgt Ruse said.
He said police had no specific leads in the manhunt for Mr Naden and were following up information as reports come in.
"We have received in excess of 50 different reliable reports, we just haven't as yet been able to catch him," Det Sgt Ruse said.