A man wanted in connection with the 1997 cold case murder of Meaghan Louise Rose in Queensland has been arrested in Sydney following a nationwide manhunt. Keith Lees, 72, was apprehended at a property on Kenthurst Road in Dural on the morning of January 23, 2025, after an arrest warrant was issued for him in July 2023. The warrant was connected to the tragic death of 25-year-old Meaghan Louise Rose on the Sunshine Coast.
Rose’s body was discovered at the base of Point Cartwright cliffs in Mooloolaba on July 18, 1997. Her white Suzuki Cino hatchback was found parked nearby, with a wine cask and glass left on the ground. Initially, investigators did not suspect foul play, but the case was reopened in 2009 as new evidence emerged.
In June 2023, Queensland Police announced a $500,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Rose’s killer. After years of investigation, authorities were able to locate and arrest Keith Lees in Sydney, bringing renewed hope to the case.