Convicted Murderer Evaded Police For 12 Years, Finally Gets Caught

A convicted murderer in Australia who evaded authorities for more than a decade was caught and apprehended in the state of Queensland this week.

Officers arrested 64-year-old Graham Potter at a home in Ravenshoe Monday morning, Australian newspaper The Age reported.

He initially claimed to be a man named "Josh Lawson," but biometric testing later confirmed that he was Potter, according to 7News.com.au.

Potter had been wanted by police since he failed to appear at court in Melbourne on Feb. 1, 2010.

He faced two conspiracy to murder charges at the time and was accused of being hired to kill a man at the 2008 wedding of Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto's son.

Additionally, Potter was facing federal charges over a record AU$440 million ($318 million) ecstasy and cocaine haul in August 2008.

Potter, who was last spotted in Queensland's Tablelands region in 2010 prior to his arrest, was known to use disguises such as wigs and fat suits to move around Australia unnoticed. He also adopted a number of aliases aside from Josh Lawson, including John Page, Jim Henderson and Peter Adams.

Authorities released images of one of Potter's abandoned campsites in 2019. It featured items such as knives, cable ties and handwritten notes, the latter of which were about surviving on the run and threatening to kill anyone who recognizes him.

"The notes, in particular, show that [Potter is] committed to blending in," Detective Leading Senior Constable Brendan Finn was quoted as saying at the time.

"He has welding, beekeeping, hydroponics, aquaponics, gold prospecting and earth-moving skills, and is most likely to look for work as a caretaker, farmhand or outback station hand," the police official explained.

While Potter managed to evade authorities for more than a decade, detectives said they were aware he had been in the Ravenshoe area over that time span.

"We’ve had information over a number of years that he may have been frequenting that residence. Police have attended there previously but had no cause to further any search of the residence," Far North Queensland Police Inspector Kevin Goan said.

However, detectives were able to obtain "credible information" that allowed them to gain lawful entry into Potter's residence.

Following his arrest, Potter appeared Tuesday via video-link in Atherton Magistrates Court, where his extradition to Melbourne was granted.

He did not make an application for bail and is due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court this Thursday.

Detectives in the states of Queensland and Victoria are now expected to work together to track Potter's movements "over at least the last decade" and establish whether he was assisted by someone else, according to Goan.

The Inspector described Potter as a "personable fellow" who was "happy" to speak with detectives.

"Certainly, we have had no issues or no acts of violence or any other actions that warrant concern by us," Goan said.

No new charges against Potter have been laid.