Australians Rattled After Teen’s Murder Stemming From Facebook Contact

It’s a dark nether world out there, over the Internet, shudder Australians following the murder of 18-year-old Nona Belomessoff by a man she had befriended on Facebook. Her body was recovered by the police in Sydney's south west, two days after she had gone missing. She had apparently been lured with the promise of a job.

Homicide Squad Detective Russell Oxford said Ms Belomesoff believed an overnight camping trip could lead to a potential job with the animal welfare group, which is understood to be WIRES.

"She told her family and they thought it was a genuine training area she was going to," he said. "That was part of the story to encourage her to go out there. And it wasn't until later on that we found out there is no such training facility like that and the people aren't affiliated with that place, so it was a bogus ruse to get her out there."

"She was obviously excited to perhaps start work in an area with animals, which she loved," he said.

New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, said it was a tragic reminder that people did not always represent themselves truthfully online.

"People may not be who they purport to be on social networking sites and that can be the case," she said.

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"It is a reminder to us all no matter what our age that we should be careful of the people that we meet online."

More than 26 police officers were scouring scrubland behind a Campbelltown oval for clues. The teen's body was lifted out of the gully.

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Detective Oxford said police was been shaken by the murder. "We go out in the dark with torches and we find this young girl, 18 years old lying in a creek bed - it's just terrible."

He could not provide a time or cause of death nor reveal details of any injuries sustained by Ms Belomesoff, but said she was found fully clothed.

On Friday night 20-year-old Christopher James Dannevig was charged with her murder.

He had allegedly concocted an elaborate ruse - setting up a fake Facebook site where he pretended to be animal rescue worker "Jason Green" - to entice his victim into an isolated area.

Dannevig, who has a presence on several social networking sites including Facebook, My Space, hi5 and Bebo, was refused bail yesterday morning in Parramatta Court. His social networking entries give an insight into his life, showing a passion for dirt bikes, native reptiles and rugby league.

After first meeting on Facebook, it is alleged the pair had met on a number of occasions in the past two weeks and the family had also met the accused.


Source-Medindia
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