The Booth family believe there are people in Canberra who know what happened but are too scared to speak up

ACT police on Thursday called for anyone who had information which could assist the investigation into his disappearance in June 2019 to come forward. Mr Booth's decomposed body was found on rocks by the slow-flowing river in December that same, drought-stricken year.

However, it is telling that the police investigation now has been turned over to the ACT unsolved homicide team, under experienced Detective Superintendent Scott Moller.

The ACT's new dedicated Coroner, Ken Archer, has reviewed the Booth case and has sought more information ahead of a potential hearing next year.

Deanne Booth, Nathan's sister, has been unrelenting in her calls for a deeper investigation after she claimed detectives had treated it as a closed case for some time. Police deny the case was ever closed.

"This [investigation] can't some soon enough," Dee Anne Booth said.

"I was never going to give up on it; we know someone had a hand in this."

Previously she had been told to "back off" on her efforts to keep police on the case after providing names of people that she believed had information and should be interviewed.

She also said that some people who have information were too scared to do so, for fear of retribution from persons unknown.

There were also unexplored allegations that Mr Booth had been in possession of a large number of expensive watches, possibly stolen property, and that a person who had been taken into custody by police had been in possession of one of those watches. The family was not advised of the outcome of that inquiry.

Nathan Booth had been in and out of prison for an extensive part of his 40 years. He had led a troubled life and a court was told that he had been expelled from three schools for stealing from teachers, and had been taking drugs since the tender age of 11.

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From his teenage years he'd burgled dozens of homes for cash, cigarettes, homewares and prescription drugs, and fled from police in stolen cars on several occasions.

When Mr Booth's fully clothed body was found by two schoolboys, it appeared like it had been "placed" there. The autopsy revealed he had a small fracture to his ankle.

How Nathan Booth happened to be in such a remote place - somewhere he'd never chosen to visit before - and why, remains a mystery. One theory was that he had been walking out his dog - but his dog was in the pound.

Nathan Booth was described by his family as a "street smart" person who loved life and had a wide circle of friends. They remain completely unconvinced by any suggestion that he had overdosed on drugs by the river.

"Nathan had plenty to live for; he was no angel, we know that, but he had huge circle of friends and family that loved him," Ms Booth said.

"That wasn't the sort of place he would just go to shoot up and die; that's not his style at all."

She firmly suspected her brother's death was a drug-related murder.

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