Couple left with ‘significant head trauma’
A gardener accused of murdering an elderly man and leaving his wife in a critical condition following an alleged argument will wait for three months for police finalise their evidence, a court has been told.
Queensland Police officers were called to conduct a welfare check at a home in Bramston Court in Burpengary East, near Moreton Bay, on Thursday.
When they arrived, they found Nicholas Reeves and his wife Suzanne, both aged in their 70s, with “significant trauma to the head”.
Mr Reeves was declared dead at the scene.
Mrs Reeves, 71, was rushed to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
Frederick Steel Sayers, 26, was arrested and later charged with murder and attempted murder.
Police will allege the Beachmere man had been gardening at the house next door and was not known to the Reeves family.
Mr Sayers’s matter was briefly mentioned in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Friday.
Duty lawyer Brendan Whelan said he would be making a Legal Aide application on behalf of Mr Sayer.
The court was told the matter would be transferred to Caboolture Magistrates Court.
Mr Whelan requested a brief of evidence be ordered, which he estimated could take up to three months to complete given “the size of evidence”.
“We’ll likely have witnesses statements by then,” Mr Whelan said.
Acting magistrate Peter Cooke adjourned the matter to Caboolture Magistrates Court for further mention on July 26.
Mr Sayers did not apply for bail.
In Queensland, a person who is charged with murder can only apply for bail in the Supreme Court.
A homicide investigation was launched with forensic officers combing the home as part of the crime scene.
Detective Inspector David Harbison told media on Thursday the crime scene at the home was “terribly traumatic”.
“Unfortunately, the victims have been severely injured, one fatally,” Detective Inspector David Harbison said.
“Police are still investigating if an implement or weapons were used in this incident … we don’t have the full facts yet.”
Police have reportedly seized a number of tools from the property.
