The man accused of murdering missing schoolgirl Quanne Diec has led detectives through bushland in Bulli Tops in the search for her remains.
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Vinzent Tarantino, 49, was charged by police on Sunday, almost two decades after Quanne, 12, was plucked off a Granville street.
He is accused of enticing her off the street just metres from her home, detaining her with the intention of holding her for ransom and then murdering her on July 27, 1998.
For much of the day on Wednesday, Mr Tarantino, dressed in prison greens and handcuffs, walked through bushland in Bulli Tops with police officers.
Rosehill police commander, Superintendent Scott Whyte, said nothing was found on Wednesday but Mr Tarantino had showed officers several locations in the bushland area off Appin Road that may be relevant to the search.
However, he said it would be "very difficult" to find Quanne's remains.
It's understood Mr Tarantino's memory is very patchy and the bushland area has changed over time.
"[The bushland] is extremely dense and obviously, in 18 years, you can imagine there's been significant environmental factors that have impacted on growth ... that's going to make it a very difficult task," he told reporters at the scene on Wednesday afternoon.
He said the search concluded on Wednesday and police will use "high-level images" taken of the site and other information given by Mr Tarantino to assess the best course of action.
"It's our number one priority to bring Quanne home to her parents," he said.
Quanne left her home on Seventh Street, Granville, about 7.30am on July 27, 1998, to go to Strathfield Girls High School.
She was intending to catch a train from Clyde to Strathfield but was never seen again.
Police believe she was enticed into a van on Factory Street, Granville, about 400 metres away from both the Diecs' home and the home of Mr Tarantino.
A stunning breakthrough in the case came on Sunday when Mr Tarantino attended Surry Hills police station to be interviewed by detectives. He was subsequently charged.
Mr Tarantino, who changed his name from Victor David Gerada, has been a suspect in Quanne's disappearance for 18 years.
Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday that it's unknown what prompted Mr Tarantino suddenly to speak to police after 18 years.
However, he had allegedly been walking around Surry Hills with a 35-centimetre kitchen knife on Sunday in an episode that has mimicked other apparent mental breakdowns he has had in the past.
Police have spent the past three days searching the Geradas' home in Granville for Quanne's remains.
A mattress and other items were taken away for examination and parts of the back yard have been dug up.
3.20pm: Police address the media regarding search of Bulli bushland for remains of Quanne Diec.
2.20pm: A heavy fog has fallen on the search area, reducing visibility to less than 30 metres.
Earlier: The man accused of murdering missing schoolgirl Quanne Diec is leading detectives through bushland at Bulli in the search for her remains.
Search dogs have arrived at the search site which is covering an area about 1km north of the Southern Gateway Centre, in bushland on the western side of Appin Road.
Vinzent Tarantino, 49, was charged by police on Sunday, almost two decades after Quanne, 12, was plucked off a Granville street.
The search is covering an area about 1km north of the Southern Gateway Centre, in bushland on the western side of Appin Road.
He is accused of enticing her off the street just metres from her home, detaining her with the intention of holding her ransom and then murdering her on July 27, 1998.
Aerial footage from Channel Seven shows Mr Tarantino, in prison greens and handcuffs, walking through bushland in Bulli Tops, near Wollongong, on Wednesday afternoon with police officers.
A police spokesman refused to comment other than to say: "A police operation is currently underway in bushland in Bulli Tops. No further information is available."
Quanne left her home on Seventh Street, Granville, about 7.30am on July 27, 1998, to go to Strathfield Girls High School.
She was intending to catch a train from Clyde to Strathfield but was never seen again.
Police believe she was enticed into a van on Factory Street, Granville, about 400 metres away from both the Diecs' home and the home of Mr Tarantino.
A stunning breakthrough in the case came on Sunday when Mr Tarantino attended Surry Hills police station to be interviewed by detectives. He was subsequently charged.
Mr Tarantino, who changed his name from Victor David Gerada, has been a suspect in Quanne's disappearance for 18 years.
Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday that it's unknown what prompted Mr Tarantino suddenly to speak to police after 18 years.
However, he had allegedly been walking around Surry Hills with a 35-centimetre kitchen knife on Sunday in an episode that has mimicked other apparent mental breakdowns he has had in the past.
Police have spent the past three days searching the Geradas' home in Granville for Quanne's remains.