Rosewater man charged with murder of Antoinette and Steve Tozer appears in court
The man who allegedly murdered a mother and son in their Rosewater home was released from jail just over a week ago and now also faces a new charge.
Police & Courts
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The man charged with the murder of Antoinette and Steve Tozer was released from prison just nine days before the alleged crime and is further accused of assaulting a police officer who tried to disarm him.
The Advertiser can reveal the man, whose identity has been suppressed, completed a three-month prison term on January 25 and then commenced living near the Tozers on Rosetta St at Rosewater.
It is also understood a new charge laid against him on Monday – of assaulting an emergency worker – relates to allegations he harmed an SA Police officer while attempting to seize a firearm.
Court documents reveal the man accused of killing the Tozers in their home allegedly murdered them sometime on Friday.
The 43-year-old Rosewater man appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, via video link from custody, following his arrest on Saturday.
The man was charged with two counts of murder.
He also appeared for a charge relating to the assault of an emergency worker that allegedly occurred after the murder.
“Effectively it’s a part of the charges before the court today,” a police prosecutor said. “It’s after the events of the allegations.”
A police prosecutor applied for an interim suppression of the man’s identity while police continue their investigations.
“It’s essential for the police investigation at an early stage to focus on identifying witnesses who may have seen the accused or suspicious activity at times relevant to the investigation,” he said.
“Police seek to undertake identity procedures with these witnesses.”
Magistrate Mark Semmens granted the interim application, which will stand for 14 days.
Nesrin El-Gadba, defence counsel for the man, did not make an application for bail on her client’s behalf.
A supporter of the man was visibly upset during the hearing and called out to the accused.
“Love you brother,” she screamed out.
Steve Tozer, 55, and Antoinette Tozer, 76, were allegedly murdered by the 43-year-old man in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Police were called to the home shortly after 1pm after Steve’s sister and Antoniette’s daughter discovered their bodies in the Rosetta St home.
Court documents provided to The Advertiser state Antoinette and Steve Tozer were killed on Friday before they were discovered.
Steve’s son and ex partner paid tribute to the loving father on Sunday saying the father-of-two loved his children a lot.
“He loved us a lot,” 23-year-old Joshua Tozer said. “He was a loving father.”
He also said his grandmother always had a welcoming presence and was a “lovely woman”.
Denise Palmer, 52, the ex-partner of Steve and mother of his two sons Matthew, 25, and Joshua, 23, said he would always be remembered in her heart.
“He’s always been in my heart … it’ll be worse now because I always wondered how he actually really did feel,” she said.
The pair expressed their devastation over discovering the news on social media early on Saturday evening.
Ms Palmer said she was scrolling on Facebook after 6pm on Saturday night when she saw a news package about the alleged murder.
“Josh and I tried to call Steve,” she said.
“(We) went down there … the street was cordoned off and we knew it was true.”
The accused man will next appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court in May.
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