Tiahleigh Palmer — Credit: ABC News (Australia), via English Wikipedia · Copyrighted — editorial use, owner-approved 2026-07-12
Tiahleigh Alyssa Rose Palmer was a 12-year-old Australian girl living in Logan City, Queensland, in the care of a foster family. Her foster father, Rick Thorburn, said he drove her to Marsden State High School on 30 October 2015; she did not attend classes and was not seen again that day. On 5 November 2015, police publicly appealed for information about her whereabouts. Later that day, a fisherman found the remains of a female aged 12 to 18 on the bank of the Pimpama River, and on 6 November 2015 the remains were officially identified as Palmer's.
Police searched for Palmer's backpack and school uniform, neither of which was ever recovered. A vigil was held in Logan on 7 November 2015, and her funeral, attended by more than 600 people, was held on 14 November 2015. On 4 December 2015, a shoe believed to be Palmer's was found near where her remains had been discovered. Investigators conducted numerous interviews and forensically examined a number of houses and vehicles as the inquiry continued.
Rick Thorburn was a person of interest from early in the investigation. In April 2016, the Thorburns' daycare approval was revoked and their foster care approval suspended after police advised state authorities that Thorburn faced unrelated serious charges. Police seized a car formerly owned by Thorburn in September 2016, and on 20 September 2016 Palmer's foster parents and their two sons were taken into custody for questioning. Rick Thorburn was charged with Palmer's murder and with interfering with a corpse; he collapsed after his arrest and was placed in an induced coma, with police suspecting a suicide attempt. His foster son Trent Thorburn was charged with two counts of perjury and one count each of attempting to pervert the course of justice and incest, and was denied bail. Foster mother Julene Thorburn and foster son Joshua Thorburn were each charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice and released on bail.
In a court hearing on 21 September 2016, prosecutors said that two days before Palmer's death, Trent Thorburn had confessed to a cousin that he had had sex with her, and that she had told her foster mother about it. Joshua and Julene Thorburn later agreed to plead guilty and to give evidence for the prosecution. In July 2017, Joshua was sentenced to three months in jail for lying to police and concealing information about Palmer's death. Trent was sentenced to four years in jail in September 2017 for incest, perjury, and attempting to pervert the course of justice, and was released in January 2018 after 16 months in custody. Julene was sentenced to 18 months in jail in November 2017 for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Rick Thorburn pleaded guilty to Palmer's murder before the Supreme Court of Queensland on 25 May 2018 and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20-year non-parole period. At a coronial inquest in June 2021 into the precise cause of Palmer's death, Thorburn said he thought he had accidentally suffocated her. Coroner Jane Bentley rejected the claim of an accident, finding him to be without remorse, and concluded that he had deliberately killed Palmer at the Thorburn family home between 7:30pm and 9:30pm on 29 October 2015, most likely by choking or asphyxiation. On 12 April 2025, Queensland Police reported that Rick Thorburn had been found dead at Woodford Correctional Facility the previous day; his death was to be examined by the Correctional Services Investigation Unit.
Palmer's foster father said he drove her to Marsden State High School; she did not attend classes and was not seen again that day.
2015-11-05
Police publicly appealed for information on Palmer's whereabouts; a fisherman found the remains of a female aged 12-18 on the bank of the Pimpama River.
2015-11-06
The remains were officially identified as Palmer's.
2015-11-07
A vigil for Palmer was held in Logan.
2015-11-14
Palmer's funeral was held, attended by more than 600 people.
2015-12-04
A shoe believed to be Palmer's was found near where her remains had been discovered.
2016-04
The Thorburn family's daycare approval was revoked and their foster care approval suspended after police advised authorities of unrelated serious charges against Rick Thorburn.
2016-09-20
Rick Thorburn was charged with Palmer's murder and interfering with a corpse; Trent Thorburn was charged with perjury, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and incest; Julene Thorburn and Joshua Thorburn were each charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
2017-07
Joshua Thorburn was sentenced to three months in jail for lying to police and concealing information about Palmer's death.
2017-09
Trent Thorburn was sentenced to four years in jail for incest, perjury, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
2017-11
Julene Thorburn was sentenced to 18 months in jail for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
2018-05-25
Rick Thorburn pleaded guilty to Palmer's murder before the Supreme Court of Queensland and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20-year non-parole period.
2021-06
At a coronial inquest, Coroner Jane Bentley found that Rick Thorburn deliberately killed Palmer at the Thorburn family home on the night of 29 October 2015, most likely by choking or asphyxiation, rejecting his claim that her death was accidental.
2025-04-11
Rick Thorburn was found dead at Woodford Correctional Facility; his death is being examined by the Correctional Services Investigation Unit.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 3 min
Tara Brown reflects on the Tiahleigh Palmer investigation | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 12 min
Betrayal: Part three - Who really murdered foster child Tiahleigh Palmer? | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 9 min
Betrayal: Part one - Who really murdered foster child Tiahleigh Palmer? | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 8 min
Betrayal: Part two - Who really murdered foster child Tiahleigh Palmer? | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 11 min
Betrayal: Part four - Who really murdered foster child Tiahleigh Palmer? | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
That Chapter / 24 min
The Horrifying Case of Tiahleigh Palmer
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 39 min
Who really murdered foster child Tiahleigh Palmer? | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 6 min
Explainer: How police cracked the Tiahleigh Palmer case | 60 Minutes Australia
VIDEO
60 Minutes Australia / 10 min
The moment Josh Thorburn told police about Tiahleigh Palmer's murder | 60 Minutes Australia
People
Rick Thorburn
CONVICTED
Foster father; charged with Palmer's murder in September 2016 and pleaded guilty before the Supreme Court of Queensland on 25 May 2018; sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20-year non-parole period.
Trent Thorburn
CONVICTED
Foster brother; charged in September 2016 with perjury, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and incest; sentenced in September 2017 to four years in jail, released in January 2018 after 16 months in custody.
Julene Thorburn
CONVICTED
Foster mother; charged in September 2016 with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice; sentenced in November 2017 to 18 months in jail.
Tiahleigh Palmer
VICTIM
12-year-old victim, killed by her foster father in Logan City, Queensland, in October 2015.
Joshua Thorburn
CONVICTED
Foster brother; charged in September 2016 with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice; sentenced in July 2017 to three months in jail for lying to police and concealing information about Palmer's death.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
portrait victim
Tiahleigh Palmer
Credit: ABC News (Australia), via English Wikipedia · Copyrighted — editorial use, owner-approved 2026-07-12 · Source
Tiahleigh Palmer, a 12-year-old girl from Logan City, Queensland, was murdered by her foster father in October 2015; he pleaded guilty in 2018 and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Where did the murder happen?
Logan City, Queensland, Australia.
Who was convicted?
Rick Thorburn (Foster father; charged with Palmer's murder in September 2016 and pleaded guilty before the Supreme Court of Queensland on 25 May 2018; sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20-year non-parole period.), Trent Thorburn (Foster brother; charged in September 2016 with perjury, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and incest; sentenced in September 2017 to four years in jail, released in January 2018 after 16 months in custody.), Julene Thorburn (Foster mother; charged in September 2016 with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice; sentenced in November 2017 to 18 months in jail.), and Joshua Thorburn (Foster brother; charged in September 2016 with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice; sentenced in July 2017 to three months in jail for lying to police and concealing information about Palmer's death.).
