He's been on the run for almost seven years, and evaded massive police operations designed to capture him, but Malcolm John Naden is no Ned Kelly-style folk hero and may kill again, says Mick Peet, the father of one of his victims.
Mick's daughter Lateesha Nolan is one of the two women Malcolm, an abattoir worker from Dubbo, is believed to have killed in 2005.
Lateesha, a mother of four, was his cousin; his second victim, Kristy Scholes, a mother of two, was in a relationship with another of his cousins.
Malcolm's ability to slip past massive police operations, outsmart high-tech tracking equipment and survive on bush food and anything he can steal, has leading some to hail Malcolm as a modern-day incarnation of Ned Kelly, the 19th century bushranger who became a symbol of anti-authoritarianism after killing several police while eluding capture by authorities.
This worries Mr Peet, who fears the horrific crimes of which Malcolm is suspected are being overlooked.
"He's no folk hero," he told The Weekly. "He's a wanted murderer, that's all I seem him as."
Moreover, he fears Malcolm might kill again. "He seems to be fairly desperate, the way he is now. He won't come in peacefully."
Malcolm grew up in Dubbo, part of a large family. He spent much of his childhood camping in the bush, where he learned the survival skills he relies upon now.
By the time he turned 30, he was living as a recluse in his bedroom, devouring survival manuals and the bible, and disappearing through the window at night.
In January 2005, Lateesha disappeared. Six months later Kristy's body was found in Malcolm's bedroom. By the time she was discovered, Malcolm had fled. Ever since, he has been on the run.
There have been sightings of him across NSW — in the opal fields near lightening ridge, along the NSW north coast, and at Western Plains Zoo, where a cohort of 60 police plus sniffer dogs and helicopters failed to catch him.
Just weeks ago, he shot at a police officer from a bush camp near Nowendoc in Northern NSW.
Dozens of specialist officers were brought in, but so far, police still have not caught him and are talking about scaling back the search.
Mick Peet is hopeful police will catch him this time, but is far from confident.
"He lives the lifestyle of a fox," he says. "He moves around at night and sleeps during the day. Going on the reports, the dogs won't even pick up his scent. He doesn't even smell like a human."
Meanwhile, on January 4, as he has for seven years, Mick will light candles in memory of his daughter, Lateesha, whose body has never been found.
"I've got one thing on my mind, and that's finding my little girl."
Your say: Do you have a message for Mick Peet and others who have lost loved ones, allegedly at the hands of Malcolm Naden?
Video: Manhunt continues for Malcolm Naden
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