One of Australia's most perplexing missing persons cases began in July 2007 in the small southwestern town of Nannup, Western Australia.
Four people - Chantelle McDougall (27), her daughter Leela (6), her partner Simon Kadwell (45), and their friend Antonio Popic (40) - seemingly vanished without a trace.
They only thing they left behind was a cryptic note stating they had "Gone to Brazil."
The investigation that followed was incredibly complex.
It uncovered stolen identities, doomsday prophecies, and an international cult following.
However, extensive investigations failed to determine whether the group was alive or dead.
At the heart of this puzzling case was a man who initially claimed his name was Simon Kadwell.
But police investigations later revealed that "Kadwell" wasn’t his real name.
He had stolen the identity of a former British colleague and his real name was Gary Felton.
Using the pseudonym "Si," Felton had written two doomsday-themed books: "Servers of the Divine Plan" and "The New Call."
He operated an online forum called The Truth Fellowship, where he wrote to roughly 40 followers who called themselves "servers."
Felton's writings prophesied that Earth was approaching the end of a 75,000-year cycle, after which a "Great Transition" would occur.
He believed that those who had learned "the lessons of the physical plane" would be "harvested" into a higher level of existence.
His books found an audience online, with "The New Call" reportedly selling for as much as $360 per copy.
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| Leela McDougall |
The Disappearance
In the months leading up to their disappearance, the group began selling their possessions.
They sold all their cars, with Chantelle McDougall selling hers for $4,000 at a Busselton dealership on July 13, 2007.
This was the last confirmed sighting of her.
They even sold their two dachshund dogs to a woman from Perth.
The woman later reported that Chantell McDougall appeared anxious and unusually eager to complete the sale immediately.
When the property's landlords checked the house days later, they found it spotlessly clean.
The group had taken their clothing and personal belongings, leaving behind only wallets, credit cards, and a half-bowl of rice.
Two notes - one from McDougall and one from Popic - claimed they had gone to Brazil.
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| Chantelle McDougal and her Leela |
The Investigation
Following the group’s sudden disappearance, one of the most extensive missing persons investigations in Western Australian history began.
Police conducted 444 separate investigations but found no trace of the group leaving Australia.
Their bank accounts remained untouched, including the $4,000 from McDougall's car sale.
Immigration checks showed no record of them departing the country under their real names.
The investigation revealed several other puzzling details:
- Two train tickets were booked under the name "Jay Roberts" on July 16, 2007 - one from East Perth to Kalgoorlie and another from Perth to Northcliffe
- Popic's mobile phone was traced to Perth on July 15, 2007. It was used to call backpackers' accommodation, order pizza, and contact a gay bar
- A man using Popic's license checked into a hostel in Northbridge
- In 2011, someone using the name Gary Felton checked into a caravan park near Albany
The Theories
As with any missing persons case, several theories emerged about the group's fate:
1. Suicide: Prior to their disappearance, Felton had discussed a "peaceful" family suicide pact in his online forum.
When questioned about the implications for his young daughter, he allegedly clarified that by "suicide," he meant "moving to an isolated location."
2. Brazil Connection: The group had told friends and family they were moving to Brazil to join a spiritual community.
Police investigated whether they had traveled to Rio Branco, a town in the Amazon rainforest known for its syncretic religious cults.
However, no concrete evidence was found to support this theory.
3. Plane Crash: Some speculated they might have been among unidentified victims of TAM Airlines Flight 3054.
The plane crashed in São Paulo on July 17, 2007.
However, the passenger manifest didn't include their names, and the timeline made this unlikely.
4. Voluntary Disappearance: Given Gary Felton's proven skill in adopting false identities, some suspected that the group could be living under assumed names, perhaps in an isolated community.
A coronial inquest was later held in December 2017, a decade after the disappearance.
In his final report released in May 2018, Coroner Barry King was unable to conclusively determine whether the group was dead or alive.
The coroner noted that their spiritual beliefs about "ascending to a higher plane" and the lack of contact with family suggested they might be dead.
However, there was also evidence indicating the possibility that they had orchestrated their own disappearances.
Recent Developments
For Chantelle McDougall's parents, Jim and Catherine McDougall, the lack of answers has been devastating.
"Every day I think of different scenarios of what happened - either they've gone through with the suicide pact or they've actually disappeared somewhere else," Catherine McDougall said.
"It's just so hard all the time... It's the not knowing that's horrible," she added.
In 2024, Chantelle's uncle, retired Victorian police officer Barry McIntosh, announced plans to conduct his own investigation into the disappearance.
McIntosh is raising funds to travel to Western Australia to launch new inquiries.
He hopes to provide answers for his sister and brother-in-law, who have spent 17 years without knowing the fate of their daughter and granddaughter.
The Nannup mystery remains one of Australia's most perplexing missing persons cases.
Despite extensive investigations, multiple theories, and a coronial inquest, the fate of these four individuals remains unknown.
If you have information regarding the disappearance of Chantelle McDougall and her daughter Leela, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
In another unsolved mystery, Kath Bergamin vanished under mysterious circumstances in Victoria after her estranged husband made several alarming threats.
You can find more details about that case here.
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