The search for 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop is entering a critical stage as police comb dense Queensland bushland and investigate disturbing revelations from a former friend of the couple last known to have seen her.
Pheobe was last seen on the morning of May 15, reportedly leaving the Gin Gin home she shared with Tanika Bromley and James Wood.
The pair allegedly drove her to Bundaberg Airport for an 8.30AM flight to Brisbane, where she was set to connect to Perth to reunite with her boyfriend. But Pheobe never made it to the plane—and hasn't been seen since.
Now, a woman who was once close with the couple has come forward, revealing unsettling details about their behavior and why she cut ties. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the woman said she had known Mr Wood since childhood but became concerned about his treatment of animals. "I stopped talking to him because I was worried about how he was treating his dogs," she explained.
She also described a moment with Ms Bromley that left her rattled. “She just laughed and said ‘don’t worry about it babe it’s for self-protection’,” she recalled, describing how Bromley allegedly pulled out a sawn-off shotgun from under her car seat. “I didn’t talk to her much after that. It was a few months ago.”
While police have questioned both Wood and Bromley and released them without charges, their property—including a dilapidated bus labeled “Let it ride”—has been thoroughly searched. The vehicle, once home to Mr Wood, has been declared a crime scene along with Ms Bromley's 2011 silver Hyundai ix35, which Pheobe had reportedly been traveling in.
Investigators and volunteers have since turned their focus to Good Night Scrub National Park, about an hour from the airport. A drone expert from Queensland Fire and Rescue has been deployed to sweep the area, especially near the river, as SES crews push through dense scrub with sifters, soil sample jars, and forensic tools.
Senior Constable Matthew Baker confirmed the area was “crucial” to the case, and authorities are urging the public to report any sightings or activity near Mingo Road and Gayndah Road on May 15.
As the community rallies, Pheobe’s family is holding onto hope. Posters have gone up across town, and her loved ones have released a deeply personal message.
“I’ve always called her my ‘wild gypsy banshee’,” the family said in a statement. “You can’t tame Phee’s spirit, empathy or fight for life. She is sassy, feisty and loves harder than anyone I’ve ever [met]. Phee loves beyond comprehension and is loyal to her siblings.”
Her mother, Kylie Johnson, also issued a plea: “Phee is still missing [and] our heartache and pain is raw and real. We as a family are trying to hang onto the light of life that is our free-spirited soul gypsy that is Phee Phee. Phee, we need you home, we need to hear your sassy voice and feel your hugs.”
Authorities ask anyone with information, no matter how small, to contact Queensland Police immediately.