A South Australian top cop has hit back at the claims made during the 7NEWS Spotlight interview with Gus Lamont’s grandmother, Josie Murray, and her close friend Bill Harbison.
During the TV special that aired on Sunday evening, Murray spoke out for the first time since the boy’s disappearance nine months ago, after police suspected she may have been involved in covering up the boy’s death – something she strongly denies.
The broadcast also included an interview with Murray’s close friend Harbison, who claimed police were discriminating against her due to her being transgender.
Harbison said police were “targeting her because of her transgender situation – and they were mortally offended that I should say it”.
Following the broadcast, Deputy Police commissioner Linda Williams has hit back at these claims.
“I think the claim is nonsense,” she said.
“When we conduct any investigation, we always do it impartially, and I am very proud of the professionalism shown by our officers.”
She declined to comment on any ongoing matters of the investigation.
Gus vanished from his family’s Oak Park Station, a remote town in South Australia, on September 27.
In the interview, Murray said that the theories that she had buried Gus was “ludicrous”, as it would be impossible to bury anything on the property without disturbing the ground.
“They’ve said they don’t think I’ve hurt him, they think that I’ve buried him – that’s one of the theories they’re working on,” Murray said.
“For so many reasons it’s ludicrous. It doesn’t make sense. Why would you do that to yourself?”
She said she believed the young boy was abducted.
Earlier this month, Murray was fined for owning a gun silencer, which was discovered by police during a search of the property. The offence was not related to the case, as she had owned the silencer prior to a change in law requiring a licence.
No one has been charged over Gus’ disappearance.
Image: Seven/ Spotlight
