The moment James Wood was charged with Pheobe Bishop’s murder at his parents’ mobile home has been revealed in new footage released by Queensland Police.
Wood can be seen barefoot wearing grey sweatpants, a chunky silver identity bracelet and a black ‘Phantom Menace’ t-shirt as cops arrested him.
He was led through the cluttered interior as family members looked on, before he was taken outside into the evening gloom of the caravan park where he was formally charged.
A woman appeared to be heard crying mournfully in the background as Wood was handcuffed by a detective sergeant with Bundaberg CPU.
Wood was told police were placing him ‘under arrest for the homicide of Pheobe Bishop’ before he was put in the backseat of a black unmarked police car.
Wood and his partner Tanika Bromley have both been charged with Pheobe’s murder and interfering with her corpse, as the search for her remains continues.
As their case was called at court on Friday, Pheobe’s older sister stood outside and tearfully begged for information that will bring the missing teenager’s remains home.
Detectives revealed they now believe her body was moved multiple times after she was allegedly murdered.
James Wood was told police were placing him ‘under arrest for the homicide of Pheobe Bishop’ before he was put in the backseat of a black unmarked police car
The moment James Wood was charged with Pheobe Bishop’s murder at his parents’ caravan has been revealed in dramatic new footage released by Queensland Police
James Wood and his partner Tanika Bromley have both been charged with Pheobe’s murder and interfering with her corpse, as the search for her remains continues
Kaylea Bishop, 18, sat in the far corner of the front row of Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday, dressed in black with her eyes red, as the case was heard.
She stared straight ahead, flanked by friends, family and a court security guard as details of the murder charges against the couple were read out.
Neither Wood nor Bromley appeared in person or by video link for the hearing and afterwards Kaylea walked outside to make her heartbreaking statement.
‘We just want her home,’ she said tearfully through red-rimmed eyes.
‘I don’t know what to say, if you’ve got any information about Pheobe or the car, just come forward.
‘Three weeks is too long for us as a family. She was loved, she’s missed dearly.’
Kaylea and Pheobe had a close relationship and had been planning to move out of the family home and into a house together last year.
James Wood was charged with Pheobe Bishop’s murder at his parents’ mobile home (pictured)
Queensland 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop (pictured) has been missing for 23 days
Queensland Police slapped Bundaberg couple James Wood, 34 (pictured, left) and Tanika Bromley, 33 (pictured, right) with one charge of murder each
On Friday, the girls’ mother Kylie Johnson paid tribute to Kaylea for facing the media to speak up for her allegedly murdered sister.
‘Kaylea your strength, determination and dedication to bring Phee Phee home is such a reflection of your fierce love for your sister,’ Ms Johnson posted on Facebook.
‘Pheobe would be so proud of the way you handled yourself today just as we are. We WILL bring Phee home – I don’t care how long it takes but we will get her home.’
Detectives earlier revealed they have been searching a ‘vast area with unforgiving terrain’ in central Queensland for the 17-year-old’s remains.
Pheobe was last seen on May 15 leaving the Gin Gin home, near Bundaberg in central Queensland, where she was living with Wood, 34, and Bromley, 33.
The couple allegedly drove Pheobe to Bundaberg Airport at 8.30am for a flight to Brisbane and then on to Perth, where she planned to meet up with her boyfriend.
She never got on the plane and Detective Inspect Craig Mansfield told reporters on Friday that, as the investigation progressed, all hope was lost of finding Pheobe alive.
‘Our evidence will outline the fact that three people arrived near to the airport and three people never exited that vehicle,’ he told reporters on Friday.
Police had been searching several areas of interest, including the Gin Gin home, before they announced efforts would be ‘scaled back’ earlier this week
Kaylea Bishop, 18, is seen outside Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday, dressed in black with her eyes red, where Pheobe’s housemates James Wood and Tanika Bromley were accused of Pheobe’s murder
‘Our investigation will detail the facts that we believe Pheobe was murdered and then her body was moved.
‘We will allege that Pheobe was moved more than one occasion.’
Pheobe had been living with the couple prior to her disappearance on May 15.
The couple were arrested in Bundaberg on Thursday night and were each charged with one count of murder and two counts of interfering with a corpse.
They remain in custody and were due to front Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday morning but did not appear via video link.
The arrests came after Wood was initially arrested on Wednesday and then released without charge.
The search for Pheobe had been scaled back on Wednesday after police spent weeks combing several areas of interest.
They included the property in Gin Gin where Pheobe lived with Wood and Bromley and a grey Hyundai ix35, thought to have been used to take the teen to the airport.
Pheobe had been living with the couple at a home in Gin Gin, near Bundaberg, and the pair are believed to have been the last to see her while driving her to the airport
While Kaylea sat in court with friends, family and a court guard, there was no appearance from Wood or Bromley during the session
The arrests came after James Wood (pictured) was initially arrested on Wednesday and then released without charge
Pheobe’s remains have not been found and her luggage has not been seen since she disappeared.
‘If we knew where Pheobe’s body was, we would be absolutely trying to locate that right now,’ Det. Insp. Mansfield said.
‘We continue to look for Pheobe, and that’s our main focus right now.’
The detective told reporters officers are hoping to engage with Wood and Bromley’s lawyers ‘in the near future’ regarding any information on where Pheobe might be.
While he could not speculate on motive, he said police have ‘information that would suggest some form of motivation’.
The weeks-long investigation has led police, through telephone data, to focus on the area around Good Night Scrub National Park.
The search initially focused on the area with homicide detectives, cadaver dogs and divers called in to aid the 100-strong effort.
‘We’re back to a particular area where we are suspecting that we may locate Pheobe, but again, it is a broad, unforgiving, large area,’ Det. Insp. Mansfield said.
Kaylea left the court with friends comforting her as she walked away
Police have also towed Wood’s SUV which he had ‘effectively been living out of it from time to time’ for forensic examination on Thursday night.
Some items believed to be linked to the investigation were seized for forensic examination.
‘We have had some great support with the community, with some areas that may be of interest,’ Det. Insp. Mansfield said.
‘But we’re really hoping that we will get some more specific information that will help us find Pheobe.’
Anyone with information regarding Pheobe’s disappearance is urged to call Crime Stoppers.
