Self-described "prime suspect" denying he killed his wife | 60 Minutes Australia

this is a mystery that will keep you guessing to the end almost 2 months ago 38-year-old aveta Mitchell disappeared from her family home after a roaring argument with her husband no one has seen or heard from her since so what happened to this popular mom well the police suspect Foul Play and tonight you'll meet the man who describes himself as the prime suspect in this case her husband Chad so interupt this um I just wondering if he'd seen this lady just wonder if he'd seen this lady around I just wonder if he'd seen this lady anywh around Chad Mitchell is a desperate man if you seen this lady around missing on the 3rd of May His Wife aeta disappeared without Trace 7 weeks ago and ever since he and his son Kyle have walked the streets of Perth hoping a stranger May hold the key to her whereabouts it's been a while now hasn't it um months and eight days you've been counting the days have you but this is a mystery with a dark twist sorry because while he searches the streets Chad is living with the knowledge that he is the chief suspect in his wife's disappearance what have the police told you um they believe that I had done something L to her and they wanted to know what I'd done and pretty much told me I was number one suspect did they use those words yeah did you murder your wife no I've never physically harmed her in any way never never why should we believe you oh so I've got nothing to hide so if if I did it I would have come forward already and said that I had before according to Chad after an argument in the middle of the night aeta got up and walked out of their house leaving their son Kyle and all her possessions it's a scenario her close friends just don't believe Facebook I can't see her doing that at all a lot of people who know her that know her well know that she wouldn't do that it's just not in her nature on the JY yeah yeah I that was is the best one that should be put Kim Skinner sinky nikolich and Tammy de know a Veta better than anyone there a beautiful dress so when you heard that she'd walked out early in the morning and never come back I was Gob smacked yeah it was um really weird cuz just not like her like I knew she got cheesed should go for a walk but not to return home is not like her at all and as you'll see tonight the more you look at this missing person's case the more things just don't add up police have made it clear they suspect a Veta has met with Foul Play is this still a missing person's investigation or you now looking for uh a body it is a very serious uh inquiry and uh as I said earlier we have uh some great concern for her maybe put a more decent well recent more photo as her friend do you think it's a missing person's case or do you think it's more it's a missing person's case yeah are you saying that cuz you want to believe it yep how all that not 38-year-old aveta Mitchell is a vivacious mother of three the life of the party who always has a smile on her face she had two children from previous relationships when she met Chad who was working as a bouncer at the local pub they were married 3 years later and had their son Kyle but recently the relationship had struck a rough patch I saw her the Thursday before she disappeared did she give you any impression that it was it was getting too much that she needed to go away no no no not at all so Chad take me through the events that night the last time that you saw it what happened um we' had a argument last 6 months we're having problems with the house but I was sorting it out with the bank and it's mainly my fault that I wasn't telling her what was happening ieta paid the living expenses and Chad paid the mor morage or at least he was supposed to they were thousands of dollars behind in repayments and in serious danger of losing the house why why weren't you telling her cuz I didn't want her to worry you said that we wouldn't lose the house were you shouting at her no she shouting at you yeah you weren't shouting at all no so it was her shouting that woke your son up y what's your problem what is your problem are you what time did Kyle wake up and start crying it was all about 1:00ish and who went to look in on him um both of us got up I went to walk in first and we got nearly got to carle's room and I turned around and said stop just stay out don't come in here let me sort it out did she accept that no she followed me straight in after that I'll put my arm over calls here and just said get the out just get the out now please and unfortunately she took literally so when you told her to get the F out away from her son she got up and walked out the front door never to be seen again she didn't stay and make sure Kyle was back to sleep no um she knows how much I love the kids and she knows that I wouldn't leave them and she know she knows that if something's wrong that I'll be there for them all the time as well Chad says he heard the front door slam so knew aeta had gone outside he claimed she took her cigarettes but she didn't take her wallet keys or mobile phone I've come down here and I've got to about here and I could see her over pass the swings near the fence over there about 80 M away yeah so you thought what she's on her way um may as well go home yeah she's just gone for a walk and she'll be back soon or later and so I went laid down with [Music] Kyle wa police have publicly stated Chad Mitchell is not a person of interest but they confirm he's assisting them with their inquiries and they've spoken to him on a number of occasions but they stress that's all normal procedure meantime they have scoured this bush land right opposite the Mitchell home in their search for a Veta and they've spent a few days going through the local Quarry where Chad was working when a Veta went missing Chad explain to me what was happening here well this is where I was working crushing all this Limestone and stuff Chad operated a Crusher here but he's only worked 3 days since aa's Disappearance in fact 2 weeks ago he was sacked tell you what I'm not an expert but it's a very good place to hide a body isn't it so everyone says yeah and the police think so too did the police tell you that they suspected you'd buried her here yes they told me straight to my face what' they say um something like we believe you have done something to your wife and we are going to look at that quarry because you've got access to their 24 hours a day and we're going to be digging that whole place up to L there's another reason police may have concentrated their investigation on Chad have you ever been in trouble with the law yes what was the nature of the problem I was collecting some money for someone and we got charged with trespassing and Poss of a weapon you were collecting money on behalf of a drug dealer um yeah what was the weapon just a plastic bar out of a sledgehammer he says he was convicted of possession of a weapon and admits to using speed but he swears that's all in the past has it been a good marriage yeah 90 99% of it yeah it's been great but maybe Chad was living in denial friends say the marriage was on the verge of collapse and a veter was looking to move out uh they've been a bit Rocky yeah she was um asking me about a rental property she was planning on moving on with her kids when did you find out that aveta was planning to leave you the police told me the police told you that yeah does that surprise you um did a little bit yeah come on surely I knew things were bad but I didn't think that bad cuz before it always worked things out but perhaps the most bizarre twist in the case came 2 weeks after aa's disappearance one night while taking out the garbage Chad says he found his wife's wedding and engagement rings that had been placed on the front map I nearly passed out when I seen them then I rang the detectives but I've picked them up and had a look to make sure that they were cuz they were her rings yeah cuz our weden rings have got an engravement on the inside oh so it was screamingly obvious yeah who do you think put them there I don't know I wished at the time I hoped it was her letting letting us know that she was all right but Chad there were no fingerprints on them apart from yours yeah just the two when I picked them up apparently but if they've come off her fingers yeah why wouldn't they have fingerprints on them I don't know obviously she didn't put them there someone else has put them there or what the police said that I did but I didn't do it I didn't put her rings there why would I put her rings there to make it look as though she were still alive I'm sorry I can't do this I thought you were here to help what's the matter can't do this cuz I thought you were here to help and I feel like he just grilling me now our questions became too much for Chad but he's been asked them many times before police questioned him for 16 hours over 2 days and even his own family have quizzed him ia's 20-year-old son Peter Reed repeatedly grilled his stepfather about what happened that Sunday night and he has come to believe in Chad's innocence you lined him up did you you said listen have you done anything to my mom yeah and what was his response he broke down mate uh made me feel pretty bad about myself but you know it's my mom you believe your stepfather 100% absolutely absolutely you think you'd be able to tell if he was telling lies for sure she was always there for you when you needed her she's 13-year-old daughter just wants to have her mom back home let us know you're right so you can all stop worrying that's a huge worry isn't it well let's hope that mobile phone sooner just wonder if you had seen this lady ieta has made no contact with anyone since she vanished and none of her bank accounts have been accessed while everyone wants to remain hopeful it's getting harder by the day I've got to you know be positive because of the kids as well to make sure you know like that they're you know they're okay sorry Chad take a seat Chad finally returned to finish our interview why did you uh walk out um you just brought back all the memories from the all my police interviews and stuff and just really hurt are you familiar with the term crocodile te I think so yeah is that what I'm saying no the police hunt for aeta Mitchell goes on but right now the investigation seems to have stalled Chad insists he had nothing to do with her disappearance and believes police should be looking elsewhere what do you think has happened to her the worst someone has done something to her and she can't come home someone's killed it that's what you truly believe feeling like that now yes Chad if you're right it's an amazing coincidence do you follow my line of thinking I know everyone's looking at me but I didn't don't I can't I could never ever harm my wife she's just she's the most beautiful person in the world if what you're saying is right then we have to believe that virtually at the exact moment that she walked out of here there was someone a potential killer who pounced and grabbed her possibly yeah on the very night that you had an argument with her and that you were the last person to see her alive I mean you would have to be the unluckiest bloke in the world wouldn't you that's what I blame myself for it all hello I'm Tara Brown thanks for watching 60 Minutes Australia subscribe to our Channel now for brand new stories and exclusive Clips every week and don't miss out on our extra minutes segments and full episodes of 60 Minutes on .com. and the N Now app

Channel: 60 Minutes Australia

Views: 273,494

Keywords: 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes Australia, Liz Hayes, Tara Brown, Tom Steinfort, 60Mins, Amelia Adams, news, world news, news australia, investigative journalism, 60 minutes australia youtube, 60 minutes youtube, 60 minutes episodes, 60 minutes australia episodes, 60 minutes australia, 60 minutes, iveta mitchell, chad mitchell, wa police, western australia police, crime, murder, police investigation, domestic abuse, domestic violence, coronial inquest, missing persons

Id: iri7pOThtJs

Length: 15min 20sec (920 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 09 2024