New inquest into Simone Strobel’s death

A CORONIAL inquest will investigate the death of Simone Strobel, whose body was found concealed under palm fronds near a Lismore caravan park in 2005.

This is the second inquest into the German backpacker’s death, with the hearing set to take place at the NSW state coroners court in November, presided over by state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan.

Strobel, a 25-year-old kindergarten teacher, was backpacking in Australia with her boyfriend Tobias Moran (nee Suckfuell) when she was last seen alive at the Lismore Tourist Caravan Park.

Her body was discovered six days later at a bocce court less than 100 metres from the campsite.

In 2007, then-state coroner Paul McMahon ruled there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone over her death. A second inquest was scheduled for February 2021 but did not proceed.

Moran was charged with murder and perverting the course of justice in July 2022, but the charges were dropped in June 2023.

Lismore local court awarded Moran $190,000 in costs, ruling there was “no reasonable cause” for him to be charged.

Moran will attend next month’s inquest, supported by his wife, her family from Perth, and his father from Germany.

Katrin Suckfuell, Moran’s sister, is not expected to attend.

Jens Martin, who testified at the 2007 inquest, will not return to Australia to give evidence. His lawyer, Reinhart Stumpf, said Martin had already provided all the information he had during the first inquest.

Simone Strobel’s siblings, Christina and Alexander Strobel, will travel from Germany to attend the hearing.

Alexander Strobel said it remains difficult not knowing what happened to his sister in Lismore.

“If Simone were your daughter or your sister, wouldn’t you want answers?” she said.

Witnesses and forensic experts from both Germany and Australia are expected to appear at the inquest.

The hearing will take place at Lidcombe in Sydney from November 11 to 15.