A warrant was issued on Monday for the arrest of 59-year-old Francis John Wark over the alleged willful murder of 17-year-old Hayley Dodd - who went missing while hitchhiking 200km north of Perth in 1999.
Wark, who is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Queensland for the rape of another hitchhiker he had held captive, was notified by Special Crime Detectives and advised of the court warrant.
Police allege the man abducted Ms Dodd as she was walking along North West Road, Badgingarra, on July 29, 1999.
It is further alleged he murdered her and disposed of her body, although detectives are still seeking the whereabouts of her remains.
Wark is expected to be charged with her murder and will appear in a Queensland court for an extradition hearing.
If this is successful he will be taken to Western Australia for prosecution.
State Crime Commander Pryce Scanlan said he was not prepared to talk about evidentiary matters, but had contacted Ms Dodd's family.
"They were pleased and I think this has brought them some comfort that someone is going to be arrested," he said.
Commander Scanlan said a cold case review and new investigation by the Special Crime Squad had made the breakthrough in what had become one of the state's most baffling cases.
"New avenues of investigation opened up," he said.
Commander Scanlan said those, along with advances in forensics and other factors like the "deterioration in people's relationships" over time, offered new leads.
"The Special Crime Squad was set up for exactly this kind of investigation," he said.
"I think the broader community can take comfort from the fact that we don't letter matters rest and we never close a case until we have a result," he said.
Ms Dodd was from Mandurah, but had been working as a roustabout in Dongara before she went missing in 1999.
She had hitched a ride to the area where she planned to visit a family friend and was dropped off at the corner of North West Road and Winjardie Road, about 11 kilometres east of the Bandgingarra townsite, but was never seen again.
Her family hired a cadaver dog to search for her body in the area in 2011.
A bone was discovered but it was later identified as that of a sheep.
A $250,000 reward for information regarding Hayley's disappearance was offered. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Hayley Dodd's last known movements in 1999:
22 July, 1999:
Hayley travelled from Mandurah to Dongara, about 150 kilometres north of Badgingarra. She had been working as a rouseabout with a friend at Dongara before her disappearance.
29 July, 8am:
Hayley left Dongara to visit a family friend who works at a farm between Badgingarra and Moora. Hayley made a phone call from a public telephone box near the Badgingarra Roadhouse before accepting a lift as she walked along North West Road.
11am:
Hayley was dropped off at the corner of North West Road and Winjardie Road, about 11 kilometres east of Bandgingarra.
11-11.45am:
More than 10 witnesses report seeing Hayley walking on North West Road, with the last witness reporting seeing her about 5 kilometres east of Badgingarra Road.
Hayley was last seen crouched down on the side of the road looking into her day pack.
About 12pm:
Witnesses reported driving past North West Road. Hayley was not seen.
30 July:
Hayley was reported missing by her family.
