Lawyer tells court triple murder survivor could be the killer

A lawyer representing Darryl Valroy Young, a man accused of participating in a triple murder, has suggested that the man who survived the incident could be the killer, according to a report from Townsville. Young's not guilty plea to all charges at the beginning of the Supreme Court trial in Townsville has entered its fourth week. Crown prosecutors are set to present their closing arguments to the jurors.

The victims of the alleged massacre were Mervyn and Maree Schwarz along with their son, Graham Tighe, who were found dead at the edge of Young's cattle station on August 4, 2022. Young has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Ross Tighe, who claimed to have witnessed the shooting and was also shot during the incident, is the key figure in the case.

In a closing address to the jurors on Tuesday, defense lawyer Anthony J Kimmins questioned the credibility of Ross Tighe. Kimmins posed the question, "Why would the murderer let Ross Tighe go?" He suggested that Ross could have been the murderer and that his presence at the gate was inexplicable. Kimmins also raised the possibility of Ross Tighe having shot himself, citing the nature of the injury and the absence of a specific gun at the scene.

The defense team has questioned Ross Tighe on his relationship with the Schwarz family and his involvement in their business. Unlike his brother, Ross was not a part-owner of any of the cattle stations owned by Mervyn and Maree Schwarz. Kimmins pointed out that Ross was an employee and had ambitions to own his own cattle station.

He also highlighted Ross' violent past, violent tendencies while under the influence of cannabis, and a volatile relationship. Despite these factors, Kimmins argued that there was no evidence to suggest that Ross Tighe could not have been the sole survivor of the alleged massacre.