The jury is currently deliberating on the case involving Darryl Young, who faces charges of triple murder and attempted murder. The 63-year-old is alleged to have shot and killed three of his neighbors and to have attempted to kill a fourth individual at his cattle property in Bogie, Queensland, on August 4, 2022.
Justice Christopher Johnstone, overseeing the proceedings, instructed the jurors to assess the credibility of Ross Tighe, who testified during the trial that he witnessed the shooting and survived the incident.
Mr. Young, a grazier and coal miner, has entered a plea of not guilty on all counts during the Supreme Court trial held in Townsville. After three weeks of testimonies and two days of final arguments from both the prosecution and defense, the jury retired to deliberate on their verdict on Wednesday. Two alternate jurors, who had accompanied the main jury throughout the trial, were released from duty.
The court learned that Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, along with Maree’s son Graham Tighe, were discovered deceased at the entrance of Mr. Young’s Shannonvale Station on the day of the incident. Ross Tighe, the brother of Graham, recounted in court that he witnessed the accused shoot the victims. He also stated that he himself was shot but that the projectile was not surgically removed.
During the proceedings on Tuesday, defense attorney Anthony Kimmins suggested that Ross Tighe could potentially be the perpetrator, even implying that he might have inflicted the injury on himself. However, prosecutor David Nardone quickly dismissed this notion as baseless.
In his concluding remarks, Justice Johnstone pointed out that the defense had not challenged the truthfulness of Ross Tighe’s testimony during cross-examination. He emphasized that the jury must determine whether Ross Tighe’s account was credible, highlighting that the prosecution had presented substantial evidence to support his testimony.
The judge noted that a medical professional who treated Ross Tighe indicated that he could have succumbed to his injuries without prompt medical care. Prosecutor Nardone, in his closing argument, asserted that Ross Tighe’s testimony was truthful.
Justice Johnstone explained that if the jury believes Mr. Young’s alibi, he should be acquitted. Conversely, if they do not accept the alibi, it does not automatically imply guilt. He clarified that it is the responsibility of the prosecution to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Young was present at the scene during the time of the shooting.
In the afternoon session on Tuesday, Mr. Nardone recalled evidence regarding ammunition found at Mr. Young’s residence, which matched the spent casings discovered at the crime scene. He also mentioned that workers from a nearby wind farm identified Mr. Young as being at the scene approximately thirty minutes before the shooting was reported. Additionally, he reiterated testimonies from two witnesses who claimed to have overheard Mr. Young demanding a meeting with the Schwarz family the evening prior to the incident. Defense lawyer Mr. Kimmins contended that Mr. Young did not possess the ammunition found and did not arrange any meeting with the victims.
