Missing man's ex-girlfriend feared being 'jumped'

Jack McLennan had been in a relationship with Carlee Beetham for 18 months before his disappearance. (Supplied: Carlee Beetham.) Link copiedShareShare articleThe former girlfriend of missing Queensland man Jack McLennan said she held fears for her own safety because of rumours surrounding his disappearance. Mr McLennan, 27, vanished in mysterious circumstances near the town of Murgon in 2024, immediately after breaking up with Carlee Beetham. For the first time, Ms Beetham has provided the ABC's true crime podcast Unravel with a detailed account of what happened in the days leading up to his disappearance, and the accusations that have been levelled at her since. "Jack's situation is not normal at all," Ms Beetham said. "But people saying things and pointing fingers… "What pisses me off is that everyone goes, 'She wanted him dead and this and that.' "No. Like, I went through hell with Jack, and our relationship was hard work, but he was still my person, still my everything." When Jack McLennan disappeared, he left behind a trail of belongings, discarded in a way that seemed to make no sense. The latest season of the ABC’s award-winning true crime podcast Unravel investigates what became of Jack. The strange pattern of discarded belongings Mr McClennan left behind when he disappeared baffled his family and friends. Ms Beetham believes that his disappearance is suspicious, but she says that the lack of answers about what happened to him has led to unfounded speculation in the community and online. "I had one person who spotted me at the markets with my current partner," she said. "(They) took a photo of us and posted it online, and people were saying, 'Yeah, it's so disgusting she can walk around like this.' "I felt like, 'Oh my God, I'm going to get jumped one day.' "I'm going to walk out in the parking lot, and I'm going to get attacked because these people are just angry at not having answers that they think I know." Ms Beetham said she had no knowledge of what Mr McLennan was doing on the Friday he vanished, apart from what she heard from others. After weeks of crying, not sleeping or eating properly in the wake of his disappearance, she said she sought independent counselling for her grief. Carlee Beetham and Jack McLennan had a roller-coaster relationship marked by frequent disagreements. (Supplied: Carlee Beetham.) They had been in a relationship for about 18 months before he moved out of their Goomeri home on the day he disappeared. Queensland Police Service is treating his case as a missing person's investigation, and the Coroners Court of Queensland is also reviewing the matter. The last known sighting of Mr McLennan was at 10pm near a waterhole at Ficks Crossing, a small community outside Murgon. He had left his car full of belongings in Murgon and travelled to Wondai and Ficks Crossing in another vehicle before disappearing. His shoes, wallet and hat were later found kilometres apart on either side of the place he was last seen. Three months after he vanished, in January of 2025, it was announced Mr McLennan had also visited Murgon Police Station on the day he disappeared. Police said this was "a pre-arranged meeting" in relation to a "private matter" and they had no concerns for his safety when they interacted with him. Unravel has seen text messages and other information that indicate this visit is related to domestic disputes with Ms Beetham. Ms Beetham told Unravel she called police on both Tuesday and Thursday of the week Mr McLennan vanished. She said Mr McLennan had acted aggressively towards her on Tuesday, in a way that was uncharacteristic. "He was slamming the door, not letting me out," Ms Beetham said. She said the dispute started with a heated verbal argument. "When we argued, it was like, who could be the biggest asshole, really." "Then I was on a ladder (cleaning), and he was grabbing the ladder and trying to get me to fall off. "He just completely switched. He's never been to the point where he was grabbing me. "I was on my own with this 100-kilo man who was raging and seeing red. "As soon as I called the cops, his whole energy changed. "He kind of clicked and went 'righto', and got out." According to Ms Beetham's account, the dispute on the Thursday involved a verbal argument and wasn't as serious. Jack McLennan on CCTV at a Murgon bottle shop on the afternoon of his disappearance. (Supplied: Queensland Police Service.) After moving his belongings out of their shared house, Mr McLennan disappeared later that night. Despite the tumult of their final week together, Ms Beetham said she would likely have reunited with Mr McLennan had he not disappeared. "I guess I just want everyone to know that no matter me moving on … I will still always love Jack no matter what, and he will forever be in my heart. "Every day, I wish that he would walk through that door and this … would just end and that would be it. " What Became of Jack, the latest season o

Missing man's ex-girlfriend feared being 'jumped'

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