The early police response to the disappearance of Queensland boy Daniel Morcombe did not pay enough attention to his murderer Brett Peter Cowan as a suspect, a coroner says.

Findings have been handed down by state coroner Terry Ryan on Friday, just over 15 years since the 13-year-old disappeared at a bus stop on his way to buy Christmas presents for his family in 2003.

Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, fronted a media pack for what they said would be the last time.

“Fifteen years and four months is a long time, but this chapter is finally over, so we wish you farewell,” Mr Morcombe said before the couple walked from the Coroners Court in Brisbane.

“While we have lost Daniel, it is really important that we focus on his legacy, which is educating kids on how to keep safe and supporting young victims of crime and those that are missing, particularly where there is a child involved.”

Mr Ryan noted Cowan was a known child sex offender and admitted being in the Sunshine Coast area where Daniel disappeared.

“I agree with the submissions from family and counsel assisting that more could have been done to focus on Mr Cowan in the early stages of the investigation,” Mr Ryan said.

He said claims made at the inquest by two police officers – that they were rebuffed when they raised Cowan as a suspect – could not be proven.

Former police officer Dennis Martyn told the inquest he concluded Cowan had abducted Daniel soon after interviewing him.

He said he told the then head of the homicide squad Mike Condon it was Cowan but was told to “f–k off”.

His former police partner Kenneth King also testified he had considered Cowan a key suspect, but the major incident response team did not immediately pursue their lead.

Mr Condon told the inquest the conversation with Mr Martyn never took place.

Mr Ryan said on Friday the immediate police response was adequate and in line with policy.

Given Daniel was likely killed within an hour of his abduction, his death could not have been prevented by police, he said.

Before the findings, Denise and Bruce Morcombe said they would be forever haunted by the chilling description of the kidnap and murder by the “repulsive pedophile” who killed their son.

But they were grateful for the inquest that began in 2010 and ultimately led to Daniel’s body being found, and life in jail for the killer.

The long-running inquest examined if and when Daniel had died, and the adequacy of the police response.

The first question was answered for Daniel’s parents and family, who in their statement recognised the extraordinary efforts of police whose covert operation extracted a confession and re-enactment of events.

“The repulsive pedophile’s callous description of what took place that day and what he did to our much-loved Daniel is chilling to say the least,” they say.

“His words have scarred us and will haunt us all forever.”

They said they would be able to move on as family with the conclusion of the inquest but they would never forget.

Coroner’s recommendations

Mr Ryan’s first recommendation was for a mandated independent review of homicide or suspicious high-risk missing person cases if they remain unsolved for 12 months.

He also recommended the state government impose a time limit on the testing of human remains if the prosecution and defence fail to agree on the identity of a deceased.

In his findings, he commended the family’s “incredible resilience”.

“Initially, they faced many years grieving the loss of their son, who was taken from them at the age of 13,” Mr Ryan said.

“They did not know what had happened to him. Instead of giving in, they strengthened their resolve.

“As Justice Atkinson noted at (Brett Peter Cowan’s) sentencing hearing, their strength was one of the main factors that led to his conviction,” Mr Ryan said.

Cowan, now serving life in jail for Daniel’s murder, was arrested in 2011 after confessing to undercover officers in the elaborate police sting.

The inquest was put on hold while Cowan faced criminal proceedings, was convicted in 2014 and then exhausted his appeals.

It resumed again briefly in 2016, hearing more about the police handling of the case.

-AAP