Police Identify Suspect in Australian Boy’s Disappearance – Shocking New Theory Emerges as Massive New Search Launched for Missing Four-Year-Old Gus
Western Australia Police have named a person of interest in the disappearance of four-year-old Gus, the little boy who vanished without trace from his family’s rural property near Mundaring in the Perth Hills on the afternoon of January 28, 2026.
In a major update issued this afternoon, detectives confirmed they are now treating the case as a potential abduction and have identified a suspect – a 38-year-old man known to the family – who was in the area at the time Gus went missing. While police have not yet made an arrest, the man is under active investigation and has been asked to attend a formal interview.
The breakthrough came after a week of intense searching involving hundreds of volunteers, police dog teams, SES personnel, drones, helicopters and ground crews failed to find any sign of the boy. Gus was last seen playing in the backyard of the family home around 3:30 p.m. on a hot summer afternoon. When his mother called him inside 10–15 minutes later, he was gone.
A large section of dense bushland behind the property – including abandoned mine shafts, old prospecting diggings and steep ravines – has been the main focus of the search. Yesterday, specialist mine-rescue teams and cadaver dogs were deployed to examine several old shafts and tunnels marked on historical maps, after ground-penetrating radar detected possible anomalies in one area (circled in recent aerial images released by police).
Despite the new suspect development, officers stressed that “no theory is being ruled out,” including the possibility that Gus wandered into the bush, fell into a hidden shaft or old well, or became trapped in difficult terrain. However, the identification of a person of interest has dramatically shifted the tone of the investigation.
Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde, leading the taskforce, addressed the media this afternoon:
“We now have a person of significant interest. This individual was known to the family and was in the vicinity at the time Gus disappeared. We are following every line of inquiry with urgency. At the same time, the search for Gus continues. We have not given up hope of finding him alive.”
The suspect’s identity has not been released to protect the investigation, but police confirmed he is cooperating and has not been charged at this stage.
The case has gripped the nation. Gus’s smiling face – curly blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a gap-toothed grin – has been on every front page, TV screen and social-media feed in Australia for nearly two weeks. Vigils have been held across Perth, yellow ribbons tied to trees and fences, and more than $420,000 raised through a GoFundMe for the family and search efforts.
Gus’s mother, speaking publicly for the first time yesterday, made an emotional plea:
“Gus is our world. He’s cheeky, loving, full of energy. Whoever knows where he is, please bring him home. We just want our boy back.”
The family has been supported by a wide circle of friends, local school communities and volunteers from Mundaring Christian College, where Gus’s older siblings attend.
As the search enters its 13th day, specialist teams are focusing on several abandoned mine shafts and diggings in the area – some dating back to the early 1900s gold rush. Ground-penetrating radar identified a possible void yesterday, and police have warned the public to stay away from old mine sites, many of which are unmarked and extremely dangerous.
The emergence of a suspect has added a new layer of heartbreak and fear to a case that had already united the country in hope and prayer.
Australia continues to hold its breath. Every parent’s worst nightmare remains open. And a four-year-old boy’s fate is still unknown.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or WA Police on 131 444.
