Croc death
mystery
January
13th, 2009 -
NT News
A
MAN who left
his home in
Sydney's
northwest
with only a
briefcase
was probably
eaten by a
crocodile at
a remote Top
End gorge.
The
bizarre case
of Teodor
Mastihuba
has been a
mystery for
25 years but
police are
now trying
to piece
together how
the
photography
shop owner
made it from
Marsfield to
Emma Gorge,
about 700km
southwest of
Darwin near
the Northern
Territory/Western
Australia
border.
His
flatmate
reported him
missing in
September
1983 when he
failed to
turn up for
work but the
trail went
cold until a
man known
only as
Chris found
Mr
Mastihuba's
Czechoslovakian
passport
next to a
makeshift
shelter at
the Gorge in
August 1998.
Detective
Senior
Constable
Scott
Tindale is
investigating
Mr
Mastihuba's
disappearance
for the
coroner.
"There
was reported
to be a
man-made
shelter at
Emma Gorge,
the items
were a Czech
passport, a
Czechoslovakian
driver's
licence,
some shoes
and a couple
of
photographs,"
he said.
"We
suspect he
is more than
likely
deceased. We
have reports
that Emma
Gorge is
infested
with
crocodiles.
"Investigating
police in WA
are of the
opinion he
has either
taken his
own life or
has been
taken by a
crocodile."
Police
are unsure
how Mr
Mastihuba
made it to
WA. He owned
a 1971
Volkswagen
but it was
never
correctly
registered
with the RTA.
His
complicated
life story
has begun to
emerge
during the
investigation.
He
migrated to
Australia in
1968 and
opened a
photographic
shop.
Interpol has
tracked down
his ex-wife
and son
Milan, who
is now aged
about 50.
He had
not heard
from his
father since
he was aged
nine, when
his father
left what
was then
Czechoslovakia.
"They
have not
heard or had
any
correspondence
since he
emigrated in
1968," Sen-Const
Tindale
said.
He
said Mr
Mastihuba's
flatmate Leo
Lewis, who
lived with
him in
Crimea Rd
and saw him
leave home
with his
briefcase,
and his two
employees at
the
photographic
shop might
be able to
help piece
together the
mystery.
Sen-Const
Tindale
stressed Mr
Lewis and
the workers
were not
suspects and
the
disappearance
was not
considered
suspicious.