Police suspect drug debt behind alleged murders of missing Queensland pair

Queensland police suspect a drug debt was the motive for the alleged murders of Queensland pair Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru, who they believe were stuffed in a metal box, shot dead and dumped in a dam in January.

Police have called for two more men to come forward as they investigate the horrific crime.

A mother of seven is one of six people who have been charged over the alleged murder.

Two bodies were discovered inside a "large metal box" in a dam in Brisbane's south during the search for the two, who had been missing for over a fortnight.

A police spokesman couldn't confirm if the bodies that had been found were Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru, however he said police had been searching for a steel box about 2m x 5m, which had since been found at a Kingston address.

7 News understands Breton and Triscaru could have been placed in the steel box alive and transported to the dam site where they were later killed.

7 News also understand the pair were possibly shot in the head.

Two men and a woman charged with murder made a brief appearance in court on Thursday morning.

Lawyers for Webbstar Latu, 31, Tuhirangi-Thomas Tahiata, 21, and Ngatokoona Mareti, 36, described them as ‘associates’ and not friends during court.

Mareti’s lawyer said she was ‘devastated and shocked’.

At a press conference earlier today Detective Supt Dave Hutchinson stated: “We have located just after 8am this morning a large metal box submerged in one of the dams.“

“We’re still in the process of removing that box. It’s still in the dam at this point so we haven’t been able to open the box however we do fear that the box will contain the bodies of the two missing persons.”

A large scale police search has been underway today at Mudgee st, Kingston near Scrubby Creek for the missing two.

The remains will be subject to post-mortem examinations and positive identification.

As well as those that appeared in court on Thursday, a 24-year-old Logan Central man, another 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old man of no fixed address have also been charged with two counts of murder.

Overnight four people assisted police following the mysterious disappearance of the south east Queensland pair.

Two men were arrested after police intercepted a vehicle on the Gateway Motorway at Belmont just before 5pm yesterday.

Police allegedly located a quantity of methylamphetamine during a search of the vehicle.

A spokesman said the three were assisting police with their inquiries into the disappearance of Breton, 28, and Triscaru, 31.

The two had been missing for more than two weeks.

A search operation was being conducted by specialist police at a location off Mudgee Street, Kingston.

Detectives also spoke with 23-year-old Lelan Harrington, who was reported missing on January 25, one day after his friends vanished.

Initially police were searching for all three, however Mr Harrington was found safe at a Logan home on Tuesday.

Two crime scenes had been set up in the suburb of Kingston, including one at Mr Harrington’s home.

On Wednesday, police divers and helicopters searched bushland but failed to locate any traces of the missing pair.

Police were also seeking dashcam video from the Cleveland ferry terminal carpark between January 24-26.

A silver Mitsubishi Pajero which belonged to Mr Breton was found in the carpark after he disappeared.

Mr Breton reportedly discussed going on a holiday to Stradbroke Island before he vanished.

$3000 was also withdrawn from his bank account before he disappeared, according to police.

Police have appealed for information in relation to this investigation and are seeking public assistance in relation to the movements of a dark green 1999 Toyota Hilux utility, Queensland Registration 684 VEP on the evening of 24 January 2016.

Mr Breton’s partner, Miranda, described him as "a loving friendly outgoing man who would drop anything to help a mate".

She said she would miss him "dearly".

Ms Triscaru’s mother, told media on Tuesday her daughter was ‘a very good girl and a very good mum’.

“I’d be happy with just one call saying ‘Mama, I’m still alive’. That’s it,” she said.

In a statement released to 7 News the family stated: "Iuliana Triscaru was kind hearted and generous. Always smiling, she had a positive attitude towards life and loved her children more than anything. To know that she is no longer in life because she was murdered is extremely shocking, disturbing and very sad."

News break – February 7