An aboriginal fugitive wanted over the shooting deaths of three people in a small NSW town is an experienced bushman who can survive long periods in harsh terrain, locals say, while a friend has spoken out to defend him online.
Julian Ingram, 37, also known as Julian Pierpoint and nicknamed “Hoolio”, has been on the run since allegedly killing his heavily pregnant ex Sophie Isabelle Quinn, 24, her new boyfriend John Harris, 32, and her aunt Nerida Quinn, 50, in Lake Cargelligo on Thursday afternoon.
Another man, Kaleb Macqueen, 19, was also allegedly shot but survived, and police issued an warrant for Ingram’s arrest for murder, describing him as being of aboriginal appearance and possibly armed and dangerous, with hundreds of police now searching for the alleged gunman in 45C heat.
Amid high tensions in the town of 1,200, a man who described himself as a “good friend” of Ingram’s wrote on Facebook “I’m sure Hoolio has his reasons”, and described 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.”
Locals told The Sydney Morning Herald that Ingram, who was a council gardener and is believed to be travelling in his work ute, had worked as a brush cutter and police would struggle to find him in the heat due to his knowledge of the area and knowledge of bushcraft.
Residents of Murrin Bridge, an Indigenous community 15km from town searched by police on Friday, said Ingram was well-liked.
Another local told the Daily Mail Ingram was “very familiar” with the area due to his work as a brush cutter for up to a decade with his father, and experience hunting pigs.
“There are brush-cutter camps out there, with food in the camps, and he would be aware of that,” the man said, but added Ingram “could also have shot himself or be halfway to South Australia by now”.
One indigenous local told The Daily Telegraph Ingram was not indigenous but “just claimed that”, and said he was only granted bail after being charged with domestic violence offences because he was White.
“Our people, our aboriginal people, soon as we have a domestic violence situation, we go to jail,” said Chris Thorpe, whose sister Josie King is Mr Harris’s cousin.
“When it comes to White people, they get bail. They’re the ones going around killing all the women. It ain’t aboriginal people.
“Two AVOs were put on him. He never had an ankle monitor. Sophie told police he had guns. She told them.”
On Saturday police were called to Ingram’s house where several young men were stripping items from the property, and one claimed to be “collecting debts”.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Andy Holland said Ingram had never held a gun licence, and was known to a lot of people in the area.
“He could be accessing people, and we’re obviously making contact with known associates, trying to cut down those possibilities … there is the possibility that people are assisting him,” he said.
The fugitive’s ute is described as a Ford Ranger with NSW registration DM-07-GZ described as having council signage, a metal tray back, high visibility markings on the side and an emergency light bar on the roof.
Header image: Left, Julian Ingram. Right, Sophie Quinn (Facebook).
