Two horrific murders.
The remains of a mother and daughter found 1200km and five years apart and police across four jurisdictions left baffled.
Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson was 20 when she was last seen driving near Coober Pedy with her two-year-old daughter Khandalyce Kiara Pearce in November, 2008.
How Karlie's skeletal remains ended up near Dalys Waterhole in the Belanglo State Forest in 2010, discovered by trail bike riders, is a complete mystery to detectives.
Equally mystifying is the discovery of Khandalyce's remains near a suitcase on the side of the Karoonda Highway near Wynarka in South Australia, three months ago.
"This is one of the most shocking crimes, shocking and unimaginable," Detective Superintendent Des Bray, of South Australia Police, said in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Information from an anonymous caller led police to photos of Khandalyce wearing a pink dress and with a handmade quilt, identical to those found in the suitcase at Wynarka.
This week investigators matched blood samples from their medical records to DNA profiles, solving part of the mysterious deaths.
Family, including Khandalyce's father and Karlie's stepfather and stepbrother, were notified of their deaths on Wednesday morning and have been ruled out as suspects.
"Our family is devastated by this news of the deaths of Karlie and Khandalyce and we are trying to deal with the grief," the family said in a statement.
Karlie's mother had reported her missing in September 2009, but withdrew the report six days later after being reassured Karlie was safe but did not want contact with her family.
Karlie, who came from a loving family in Alice Springs, gave birth to Khandalyce in 2006, raising her as a single mother.
Sometime between 2006 and 2008 she decided to leave Alice Springs to travel and work around Australia.
Their lives have been a mystery since 2006, NSW Police Homicide Squad Commander Detective Inspector Mick Willing said.
"Here we have a young mum and a little girl who decide to leave the Northern Territory for whatever reason, we don't know that at this point in time, and travel around Australia and then their remains are discovered years later," he said in Sydney.
"It's a complete mystery to us. And that's why we need the public's help on these matters."
The last confirmed sighting of Karlie and Khandalyce was by a police officer who pulled them over near Coober Pedy in November 2008.
Another witness took photos of them at Marion Shopping Centre in Adelaide the same month while an unconfirmed sighting placed them in an ACT shopping centre in December that year.
The investigation in to the "violent and deliberate" murders now involves police in SA, NSW, the Northern Territory and ACT.
"I can't comment on the cause of death for either the mother or the child other than to say they were violent, horrific deaths," Det Insp Willing said.
They've urged anyone who saw Karlie or Khandalyce travelling around Australia in the past 10 years to contact Crime Stoppers.
"The friends and associates, it's important we know them. We encourage them to make contact through Crime Stoppers," Det Supt Des Bray said.
