More than 30 years after killing a toddler, John William Bennett claimed he was having recurring dreams about where he might have dumped the three-year-old's body.
For decades, the convicted murderer stuck to the story that he disposed of Kelly Anne Jones in a bag at an unidentified rubbish dump west of Brisbane in 1989.
The toddler had been visiting her aunt in Toowoomba for the Carnival of Flowers when family friend Bennett took her from the home.
The child's body was never found despite extensive searches north of Toowoomba involving hundreds of volunteers.
At the time Bennett claimed he could not give an exact location for the body because his memory was poor and he was heavily intoxicated when he killed the child.
However in 2020, Bennett revealed he was having dreams that could be improving his memory, a Brisbane parole hearing was told on Friday.
Detective Inspector Chris Knight said he had no idea what to expect after receiving a "fairly bland" Corrective Services email three years ago advising him Bennett wanted to talk.
When he arrived at Woodford prison, Bennett told him he kept having dreams about the body being at Ma Ma Creek, that they might be helping his memory and he would "like to get it cleared up".
Ma Ma Creek is about 100km from the areas searched in 1989.
"He certainly said from the outset that he had ...these dreams ... and led to him reaching out," Det Insp Wright told the hearing.
Serving a life sentence, Bennett - now 71 - is a "No Body, No Parole" prisoner.
Bennett did his best to describe where the body might be located in the Ma Ma Creek area, Det Insp Wright said.
The convicted murderer added new details including the toddler was left in a container and wrapped in a blanket before cutting off the interview after 16 minutes, the hearing was told.
By March 2021 detectives presented a 1988 satellite image of the Ma Ma Creek area to Bennett based on his information.
However, Bennett couldn't identify any features, effectively ending the fresh investigation.
Det Inspt Wright said he was confident Bennett was familiar with the Ma Ma Creek area.
But he concluded the description Bennett gave was "vague" and not supported by the satellite image.
"I wasn't satisfied that the version given about what happened at Ma Ma Creek by his claim could be advanced," said Det Inspt Wright, who prepared a report to the parole board.
He did not consider the information Bennett had provided in 1989 or the "dream version" significant or useful.
Kelly Anne Jones' mother Caroline Jones said outside court on Friday "I hope they don't give up".
"It's the not knowing that's hard to go through," she said.
Det Insp Wright said Bennett told him he was not interested in applying for parole and was surprised when he did apply in August last year.
Wheelchair-bound Bennett's health is declining after 34 years in jail.
He is asking the parole board to consider his exceptional circumstances application on medical grounds.
The board must be satisfied Bennett has sufficiently co-operated to identify the body's location before it can consider his application.
The parole board will assess the application after Bennett reviews counsel assisting Sally Robb's written submissions in the next six weeks.
"I might need a hand. I can't read and write," Bennett told the board via video link.
Told legal services would assist, Bennett said: "Thank you - have a good day."
Hundreds have signed a change.org petition protesting against his application for release.
"I don't want him released until we get our answers and we find her body," Caroline Jones told reporters.
