source : the age
A 31-year-old man appeared before court on Saturday charged with “murder, torture, armed robbery, and kidnapping” after three men were beaten and one died in Richlands last Sunday.
Police were called after a 52-year-old man with significant head injuries was taken by two friends to Logan Hospital about 12.30am on Monday.
Detective Inspector Chris Knight said the extent of the damage to the man’s brain only became apparent in hospital.
Detective Inspector Chris Knight said a 31-year-old man had been charged over the beating of three men that resulted in one dying.Credit: Queensland Police
The man was transferred to a specialist facility at Princess Alexandra Hospital but “within 24 hours, he unfortunately died as a result of those injuries”, said Knight.
The other men were also injured, with one suffering bruising, lacerations, and a broken leg, while the other received “serious facial injuries”.
Police arrested a 31-year-old Birkdale man at a residence in Griffin about 11am on Friday and charged him with seven offences, including one count of murder and two counts each of kidnapping and torture.
Police were searching for a silver 2008 XF Jaguar sedan they believe might be related to Sunday night’s fatal assault.Credit: Queensland Police
Knight said investigators suspected the 31-year-old was part of a group that met the three victims at Rudyard Street in Richlands about 6.30pm on Sunday.
“Police will allege that … at that location, [the victims] were taken against their will and under the threat of extreme violence,” said Knight.
“They were taken to another location, where they were subject to more violence for a number of hours, before later being returned to their vehicle.”
Police suspected the men were taken to multiple locations, which were still being investigated on Saturday.
Knight said the level of violence committed against the three men was above “normal expectations” of assault causing death.
“I’m not saying it’s unprecedented, but it is highly unusual,” he said.
He added that police didn’t “for one second think this was a random event”, and they had not ruled out the potential for organised crime involvement.
“We believe they either knew the offenders personally or were introduced by a third party … and will be alleging there is a degree of organisation in what occurred,” he said.
“There was a planned meeting … the people they met at that location, we believe was a co-ordinated effort to extort and rob.”
Police have asked for public assistance to locate a silver 2008 XF Jaguar sedan.Credit: Queensland Police
Knight could not comment on whether police believed drugs were involved in the alleged assault.
Police released images of a silver 2008 XF Jaguar sedan, which they said might be related to the incident, having recovered the 52-year-old’s dark-grey Toyota RAV4 earlier in the week.
“We encourage anybody who has information relating to the vehicle [Jaguar] that appears in those images to please contact Crime Stoppers at the earliest opportunity,” Knight said.
“The investigation is not over.”
Crime Stoppers can be contacted online here or by phoning 1800 333 000.
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