Gumleaf
October 6th, 2007, 03:15 AM
Saturday Oct 6 17:00 AEST
By ninemsn staff
Police believe human remains found stuffed into a plastic barrel in a Newcastle shed belong to a man who has been missing since August.
The gruesome discovery was made yesterday after a seven-week investigation into the disappearance of 52-year-old Paul Bell, the Newcastle Herald reported.
The barrel was filled with a liquid, which was believed to be acid.
Mr Bell, the former owner of a kiosk at Nobbys Beach, was last seen on August 18 dropping off his mother in Waratah.
A 26-year-old former employee's body was discovered in a car after an apparent suicide 10 days later at a Fullerton Cover property.
Police later discovered Mr Bell's missing four-wheel drive at the same site.
The Tomago shed where the body parts were found was rented by the former employee.
Mr Bell ran the Nobbys kiosk for 30 years before passing the business on to his children a year ago.
A member of Nobbys surf club, who did not wish to be named, said there was speculation about the nature of the relationship between the two men.
Members of the club have generally avoided talking about the incident, he said.
Forensics experts will carry out detailed tests on the barrel and its contents on Monday.
By ninemsn staff
Police believe human remains found stuffed into a plastic barrel in a Newcastle shed belong to a man who has been missing since August.
The gruesome discovery was made yesterday after a seven-week investigation into the disappearance of 52-year-old Paul Bell, the Newcastle Herald reported.
The barrel was filled with a liquid, which was believed to be acid.
Mr Bell, the former owner of a kiosk at Nobbys Beach, was last seen on August 18 dropping off his mother in Waratah.
A 26-year-old former employee's body was discovered in a car after an apparent suicide 10 days later at a Fullerton Cover property.
Police later discovered Mr Bell's missing four-wheel drive at the same site.
The Tomago shed where the body parts were found was rented by the former employee.
Mr Bell ran the Nobbys kiosk for 30 years before passing the business on to his children a year ago.
A member of Nobbys surf club, who did not wish to be named, said there was speculation about the nature of the relationship between the two men.
Members of the club have generally avoided talking about the incident, he said.
Forensics experts will carry out detailed tests on the barrel and its contents on Monday.