NT police raise reward to $500,000 in 1986 Kakadu disappearance of Norman Lawson

Authorities in Australia’s Northern Territory have intensified efforts to resolve the 1986 disappearance of Norman Lawson, a 16-year-old who vanished during a camping trip near Kakadu National Park. The Northern Territory Police said Friday they have increased the reward for information related to Lawson’s disappearance to 500,000 Australian dollars, in a bid to spur new leads after nearly four decades.

Lawson was last seen on October 21 or 22, 1986, while fishing at South Alligator Crossing on Old Jim Road, about 120 kilometers southeast of Darwin. He reportedly left all his possessions at the campsite before wandering off. Investigators traced his footprints on the road near Bark Hut Inn, alongside large crocodile tracks, before he vanished from the area.

Police say searches of the surrounding area failed to uncover any trace of Lawson and that they have been unable to establish his movements after he disappeared. Acting Commander Drew Slape noted that foul play could not be ruled in or out and that formal notification to authorities occurred only days after the incident, complicating early investigations.

A coroner’s report issued in 1990 ruled that Lawson died during the trip, though no conclusive evidence confirmed the cause. The coroner suggested Lawson may have been taken by a crocodile, but the finding did not resolve the case. In a 2023 interview, Lawson’s sister, Susan, described her brother as a “caring, gentle soul” and said he was her “big protector.” She recalled that their father had alerted police after Norman failed to return home, a detail underscoring the family’s long wait for answers.

The case has continued to surface in the public sphere as investigators reiterate that crucial information could still exist. In recent years, police have also raised rewards to 500,000 dollars for information on other unresolved deaths and disappearances in the region, signaling a broader push to break long-standing cases.

Among those highlighted are the disappearance of Peter Falconio and the death of Richard Roe. Falconio was murdered in 2001 while travelling with his partner, Joanne Lees. His killer, Bradley Murdoch, died in July of this year, never revealing where he disposed of Falconio’s body. Richard Roe disappeared in 2016 after his car was found abandoned on the Stuart Highway. In a separate case, Kwementyaye Nelson was found dead on the Stuart Highway near Three Ways in 2014, with injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. NT Police say the increased rewards aim to encourage witnesses or others with knowledge to come forward, noting that the families left behind deserve answers.

Police officials have stressed that information from the public remains a critical component of reopening or advancing unresolved cases. Slape underscored that those with information should contact the NT Police through official channels, adding that even seemingly minor details could prove pivotal after so many years.

The Kakadu region and surrounding routes, including areas near the Bark Hut Inn, continue to be scrutinized in casework related to Lawson and similar cold cases. Authorities say that the terrain—rivers, crocodile habitats, and remote tracks—can present significant challenges to early investigations, but they also reiterate that recent advancements in forensics and information-gathering could bring new leads to light if people come forward.

Ultimately, officials say, the community’s assistance remains essential. The NT Police statement closes with a reminder that the investigations into Norman Lawson’s disappearance, and the other long-standing cases they referenced, are ongoing, and the department will pursue every credible lead in pursuit of answers for families seeking closure.