Adelaide man’s manslaughter charge dropped after another man dies in Seaton home

Charges against a 51-year-old Seaton man have been rapidly dropped as police reveal what happened to the man who died overnight.

A man is dead after a serious assault at a home in Seaton. Picture: Douglas Smith

A manslaughter charge against a man has been dropped by police after a 54-year-old man, believed to be his brother, died at a Seaton home overnight.

On Friday afternoon, SA Police confirmed the manslaughter charge against a 51-year-old Seaton man had been dropped just hours after he was arrested over the death.

SA Police on Thursday evening said there had been “a fight between two men known to each other” on Minns St in Seaton which resulted in the 54-year-old’s death.

The man was treated by paramedics after the alleged altercation but died at the scene.

However, in an updated statement, SAPOL said the 51-year-old had been released from custody before his scheduled court hearing – no longer charged with any wrongdoing.

“The charge of manslaughter, which resulted from an incident on Thursday 6 March has now been withdrawn following a preliminary investigation which indicated a 54-year-old Seaton man likely suffered a medical episode resulting in his death,” police said.

“As a result, the 51-year-old Seaton man who was charged yesterday has been released from custody, pending any further investigation.”

It is not clear what happened between the two that resulted in the man’s death.

At 4.14pm on Thursday police and emergency services were called to this house in Minns Street East, Seaton after reports of a fight between two men known to each other. Picture: Dean Martin

Earlier in the day, neighbour Ben Clarke was walking with his young child early on Friday morning past the Seaton home police said the incident took place.

“It was quite tragic,” Mr Clarke told the media.

Flowers at the scene of a house where a man died. Picture: Dean Martin

A security camera in the area. Picture: Dean Martin

“It’s just a sad situation.”

Another neighbour, Jeff, said he saw the brother’s elderly mother and a young woman in her 20s escorted off the property by police following the incident.

“(The mother) was moving slowly with her walking stick – she would’ve been in her late 80s,” Jeff said.

Neighbour Ben Clarke said the death was “quite tragic”. Picture: Dean Martin

Jeff said the brother’s home was visited by “a lot of riffraff”, with “cars coming and going at all hours”.

“People would yell through the fence at all hours.

He said people inside the house were always arguing and there were “lots of ongoing arguments all the time.”

Multiple neighbours claimed the home had a steady stream of visitors who would pop in and out.

Two neighbours also told The Advertiser about a separate incident one to one-and-a-half years ago when the home was the scene of a “huge police raid”.

The house has a high secure fence and multiple CCTV cameras, with Jeff comparing it to “a fortress”.

Penny, who lives two streets back from the property, was walking her dogs on Friday morning, she expressed her sadness at the loss of life.

“At the end of the day, it’s very sad someone’s lost their life.”