Two men arrested over 1997 Gold Coast father's 'execution-style' slaying
Queensland Police have made a breakthrough in a 20-year cold case with the arrest of three people over the murder of Gold Coast businessman Phillip Carlyle.
Two men aged in their 60s have been arrested over Mr Carlyle's execution-style murder, with a woman also taken into custody.
The investigation has baffled detectives for around 20 years but on Tuesday morning they made their move in pre-dawn raids.
Three arrests were made, with the two men and a woman driven into the Southport watch house in separate cars.
The church-going father of three was shot in the head four times at his Robina business on Sunday, April 13, 1997.
The 47-year-old's body was found in the plant room of the business, where he'd gone to tidy up some loose ends before a planned overseas trip.
Mr Carlyle's wife became concerned later that day when she could not reach her husband on the phone, and called Mr Carlyle's business partner for help.
They and others went to the Robina business to search.
A security guard found Mr Carlyle's bloodied body inside the plant room.
On Tuesday, police said two men – aged 66 and 68 – had been arrested in relation to the killing. They are yet to be charged.
The woman taken into custody is related to one of those two men, but it's understood she's not been directly linked to the slaying.
It is expected she will face an associate charge.
Police have long suspected Mr Carlyle might have known his killer.
Before his murder it was thought he was having some business troubles with his wife long suspecting that was the motive behind his murder.
Earlier this year, the ABC reported police were closing in on a suspect, after making a breakthrough relating to the uncommon ammunition used to kill Mr Carlyle.
He was repeatedly shot with Norma brand bullets, imported from Sweden and rare in Australia at that time.
Police will hold a press conference on the case on Tuesday afternoon.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.
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