A re-opened inquest into the disappearance of a north Queensland man almost three decades ago has heard his son-in-law had later confessed to his murder, telling a friend he killed him and another man before burying them "in the same grave".
Leslie Ralph Ball was reported missing in 1993 while he was living in Townsville with one of his daughters, Leanne Phillips and her since deceased husband, David Phillips.
The 73-year-old's car was abandoned at a train station car park, and a trailer he owned containing his personal belongings was found burnt-out in bushland near his home.
His body has never been found.
At the time, Mrs Phillips told police she last saw her father at a Brisbane hospital where she had been receiving post-operative treatment.
However, a coronial inquiry held in 1994, found a train ticket in Mr Ball's name had been forged, with a coroner determining he had likely never left Townsville and may have met foul play.
Fresh information uncovered during reviews of the case, including evidence Mr Phillips may have been involved in Mr Ball's disappearance and that his wife had knowledge of this, prompted the inquiry to be re-opened.
'I gave him such a thrashing'
During a two-day hearing in Brisbane on Monday, one of Mr Phillips long-term friend's Brian Murphy gave evidence about a conversation they had after the first inquest.
He told the court Mr Phillips admitted to bashing his father-in-law to death "unmercifully" because he believed he sexually interfered with someone he knew.
"He said, 'I got him in the shed, told him what I knew … then I bashed the sh*tter [sic] out of him'," Mr Murphy said.
"I gave him such a thrashing — I had him up against the wall, I all but got his windpipe out of his throat," Mr Murphy said Mr Phillips had told him.
Mr Murphy told the court Mr Phillips then confessed to killing a second man he had engaged to help dispose of Mr Ball's body that same day.
"The next thing he said he gave it to the old bloke and buried the both of them … he said 'I put him in the same grave'," Mr Phillips said.
Another witness, a retired Victorian police officer told the court he had dealings with Mr and Mrs Phillips in the early 2000s in relation to an unrelated investigation.
William Nash told the court after interviewing the pair about information they provided, he concluded it was "fabricated" and did not believe they were credible people.
Mr Nash told the court Mr Phillips in particular was "up to no good".
"They told so many stories that contradicted each other — there wasn't a skerrick of truth," he said.
Mrs Phillips gave evidence via videolink from Victoria and was asked whether she lied to police about Mr Ball coming to Brisbane when she was in hospital.
"That is just not true, he was there I saw my father," she said.
"I'm 100 per cent sure he come to visit me."
Mrs Phillips told the court she had a "normal" relationship with her father and vehemently denied she or her late husband knew what happened to him.
"No I do not [know], I wish I did," she said.
'We're getting to the bottom of it'
Outside court, another daughter of Mr Ball's, Le-Chelle Lesley said the first day of the inquest had left her feeling "exhausted", but she was hopeful there would be justice for her father by the end.
"At least something is getting said … we're getting to the bottom of it," she said.
"We just want it put to rest."
Another family member, Ross Ball, said the inquest into his uncle's disappearance had been a long time coming.
"It's 30 years… Members of the family are getting older, my dad's died — his brother, they were really close," he said.
"We're just hoping we can finally get an answer on what happened to Les."
The inquest continues.
