Police have confirmed a fugitive wanted for allegedly murdering three people in the NSW town of Lake Cargelligo is aboriginal, after some local indigenous people said he “just claimed to be”.
Julian Ingram, 37, also known as Julian Pierpoint and nicknamed “Hoolio”, has been on the run since allegedly shooting dead his heavily pregnant ex Sophie Isabelle Quinn, 24, her new boyfriend John Harris, 32, and her aunt Nerida Quinn, 50, on Thursday. Kaleb Macqueen, 19, was also allegedly shot but survived.
NSW Police described him as being of aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 165cm-170cm tall, of medium build with short dark hair and brown eyes, and on Wednesday night released new images of his white Ford Ranger council ute captured moments after the alleged shooting.
The dual cab ute, with NSW registration DM-07-GZ, may have a Lachlan Shire Council magnet in front of the driver’s door and the numbers 1947 above the magnet. It has an emergency orange light bar on the roof and the utility’s tray may contain work tools and a silver toolbox, police said.
The police description of Ingram sparked debate online, and a Lake Cargelligo resident said the accused killer was not indigenous but “just claimed that”, telling The Daily Telegraph Ingram was only granted bail on domestic violence charges because he was White.
But NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andy Holland debunked those claims, and said Ingram had always identified himself to police as aboriginal and his heritage had been confirmed by the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
More than 100 police officers have spent the last six days searching for Ingram, who locals say is an experienced bushman capable of surviving long periods in harsh terrain.
On Tuesday the search remained focussed on the township of Mount Hope, which is about 100km northwest of the scene of the alleged crime and has a population of just 16, after a tactical operations team cleared several properties there on Monday.
Ingram, who never held a gun licence, is familiar with vast swathes of the outback due to his work as a brush cutter, and locals said police would struggle to find him in 40C+ heat, which is also hampering the use of thermal imaging equipment.
Mr Macqueen, who suffered serious gunshot wounds, spoke to Nine News on Sunday and claimed Ingram “laughed” after shooting Nerida Quinn from inside his ute.
“[Nerida] obviously went towards the ute and I heard ‘boom boom’, she was holding her neck and he was laughing and [allegedly] gave her one good shot to the head and she was gone.
“It was fight or flight – I just had to save myself, not that I could have done anything with Nerida anyway. I probably would have ended up dying if I went over to [her].”
A man describing himself as Ingram’s “good friend” defended him on Facebook on the weekend, writing “I’m sure Hoolio has his reasons”, and describing him as loyal, a hard worker, and good father.
The man then deleted his account after the post was criticised by Femicide Watch founder Sherele Moody, who wrote on social media: “The Victim-Blaming Good Bloke She Was Asking For It narrative has landed less than 24 hours after Julian Ingram allegedly murdered two women and a man. Slow fucking clap.”
Header image: Left, Julian Ingram. Right, Ingram’s ute moment’s after the shooting (NSW Police).
