In a chilling update that has plunged the desperate search for missing FIFO worker Bill Carter, 25, into deeper turmoil, his partner Janae Williamson has revealed that the company confirmed he never even made it to the gate—no scan, no boarding record, nothing. The bombshell, shared in a tearful Facebook Live on December 11, 2025, has exploded fears of foul play and thrown the timeline of Bill’s last known moments into utter chaos. Williamson, 27, who has been coordinating with family and police since Bill vanished from Perth Airport on November 20, said the employer’s confirmation “changes everything—we thought he was on that plane.” As the hunt enters its third week, with no sightings despite extensive drone sweeps and K-9 searches, the revelation has reignited speculation: Was Bill abducted? Did he slip away intentionally? Or is the answer something far more sinister?

Williamson’s disclosure came amid mounting frustration with the investigation. Bill, a Bunbury local and Fenner Dunlop mine operator, was dropped at Terminal 3 by his mother Jenny O’Byrne at 12:40 p.m. for his 2:15 p.m. flight to Karratha. His phone pinged once at 1:05 p.m., then went silent. No CCTV footage shows him boarding, and now Fenner Dunlop has officially stated: “Bill Carter did not check in or board the flight. We have no record of his arrival at the gate.” Williamson, speaking from her Bunbury home, broke down: “They said he never even got there—how is that possible? He texted me ‘love you’ at 1:02. What happened in those three minutes?”

The employer’s silence until now has drawn sharp criticism. Fenner Dunlop, a Rio Tinto contractor, issued a statement on December 10: “We are cooperating fully with authorities and supporting Bill’s family.” But Williamson accused them of “dragging their feet,” noting they waited two weeks to confirm the no-show. “He was their star worker—12-on, 9-off, never missed a shift,” she said. Police have expanded the search to Perth’s urban fringes, but the lack of gate activity suggests Bill exited the terminal before security—perhaps via a side door or employee access.

Foul play theories swirl. Bill had recently returned from Zambia visiting his father and was “off his anxiety meds,” per sister Sarah. His final brunch comment—”Sometimes you just need to disappear”—now haunts. Retired detective Ken Lang: “No boarding pass scan means he never intended to fly—or someone stopped him.” A faint GPS ping on December 8 in remote bushland 40 km southeast adds urgency, but signal loss persists.

The FIFO community’s support surges: a GoFundMe has raised $40,000 for private investigators, with miners sharing stories of burnout. “FIFO breaks people—Bill was struggling,” one colleague told 9News. Jenny O’Byrne pleads: “My boy is out there—please keep looking.” As Christmas looms, the Carter family’s world hangs in limbo, the airport gate a portal to the unknown.