Body of Missing Teen Richard Tu Found After Eight-Day Search

The search for missing teenager Richard Tu has ended in tragedy after his body was found in bushland near Mount Richon, southeast of Perth.

Richard, 17, had been missing since March 31 after he was last seen getting off a bus in Armadale late at night. His phone later pinged from Mount Richon around 11 pm, suggesting he had walked about 4km from the bus stop.

On Tuesday afternoon, police and SES volunteers discovered Richard’s body while combing a five-square-kilometre area of dense bushland. More than 80 volunteers had been involved in the search, which was about to be called off when the grim discovery was made.

Fremantle District Inspector Steve Scott confirmed the body’s location and noted that police are not treating Richard Tu death as suspicious.

“We’ve covered about five square kilometres of area around where we believe the last ping was from Richard’s phone,” Inspector Scott said.

Earlier, Richard’s family had issued an emotional public appeal for help, with his sister, Rachel Tu, thanking the community for their overwhelming support.

“The community has reached out a lot and helped us, and we’re so grateful and thankful,” she said.

A report will now be prepared for the coroner as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding Richard Tu death.