Missing Aussie woman's remains found months after police raids. Video / 9 News Australia
A teenage camper has detailed the horrifying moment he and his friends discovered the decomposed foot of an accused Australian conwoman on a beach on NSW's South Coast.
On Friday, police announced the remains of Melissa Caddick, the 49-year-old accused of stealing millions of dollars from investors, had been discovered on Bournda Beach.
The grisly discovery was made by a group of young campers who found the remains of a foot inside a shoe washed up on the sand.
One of the campers, who did not wish to be identified, told 7 News that he and his friends thought someone was playing a trick on them at first.
Melissa Caddick's foot was founded washed up on Bournda Beach on NSW's south coast. Photo / Gary Ramage, NCA NewsWire
"At the time we were all a bit in shock, we obviously didn't think it was real at first," he said.
"We were wondering whether someone had played a prank – put some chicken bones in a shoe or something."
The group immediately notified police, with investigators later finding DNA from the foot matched samples taken from Caddick's toothbrush and family members.
It wasn't until days later when the campers realised who the remains had belonged to.
"We were still just more in shock than anything. We couldn't really realise what had happened to us," the camper said.
More human remains have since been discovered on a beach about 150km away from where Caddick's foot was found.
Beach walkers made the gruesome discovery about 9.30pm on Friday at Mollymook Beach.
DNA testing is under way to see if the remains are linked to Caddick.
Caddick's A$7 million Sydney home. Photo / Supplied
Police still don't have confirmation on how Caddick's remains came to be in the water or how long she may have died after her disappearance.
"At this point we can't rule out anything," NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said on Friday.
"We have kept an open mind, however, given the circumstances of her disappearance, the fact she left personal belongings behind, we have always considered the possibility that she may have taken her own life, but that is a matter for the coroner."
Caddick was last seen leaving her A$7 million (NZ$7.4m) Dover Heights home to go for a run on the morning of November 12.
Her disappearance came two days after the Australian Federal Police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) raided her home over allegations she was misappropriating investor funds through her finance business Maliver Pty Ltd.
The majority of her alleged victims were family members and long-standing friends, none of whom had any idea up until recently that they were being fleeced of millions of dollars.
Leaked documents, obtained by news.com.au earlier this month, showed each of the investors handed over their money following a "strong personal recommendation from people they trusted".
Over the years, no red flags over Caddick or her business were raised.
Any investor who wanted to withdraw their funds had done so with ease, and on repeated occasions.
However, on Monday the Federal Court heard liquidators had found just A$5600 in the 49-year-old's bank accounts, described as a "significant shortfall" between the millions investigators allege Caddick owes her investors.
