Prosecutors have been ordered to pay $190,000 to Tobias Moran four months after withdrawing charges against him over the death of his then-girlfriend Simone Strobel.
The body of the 25-year-old kindergarten teacher was found under palm fronds at a Lismore sportsground just 100 metres from the caravan site where she was last seen six days earlier in February 2005.
More than 18 years later, her death remains a mystery.
Mr Moran was charged with murder and acting with intent to pervert the course of justice in July 2022 after being extradited to NSW.
The 43-year-old was granted bail a week after being charged, allowing him to return to his family and home in City Beach, Western Australia.
NSW prosecutors opted not to proceed with an application to detain him that day after considering the case, before later withdrawing the charges altogether.
A 2007 inquest found there was insufficient evidence to lay any criminal charges.
It found Ms Strobel spent the previous two weeks travelling the east coast of Australia with Mr Moran, then known as Tobias Suckfuell, along with his sister and another person.
Police told the inquest they suspected Mr Moran was involved in her death.
The trio reported Ms Strobel missing after packing up the campsite the morning after she had walked away from the group as the two siblings fought over a family matter, they told police.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has been ordered to pay costs in the amount of $190,000 to Mr Moran before November 8.
