Man to stand trial over ‘mummified’ remains found in Gold Coast home

A Gold Coast man who allegedly sedated his sick stepfather in the months before his death was motivated by potential financial gain, and later offered to pay $100,000 to have the investigating detectives killed, a court has heard.

Tomislav Nemes, 69, was discovered dead in his waterfront Benowa home in 2023, with police at the time believing his body, described initially as having a “mummified look to it”, had been kept there for more than 12 months.

His stepson, Nikola Golem, was charged with murder.

When police discovered the body of Tomislav Nemes in his Benowa home, they believed his remains had been there for more than a year.Credit: Queensland Police

At a committal hearing on Monday in Southport Magistrates Court, Golem sat quietly in custody, dressed in prison clothing while listening via an audio link.

The court heard his stepfather had suffered from health issues including diabetes and chronic lower back pain.

Golem also had brain surgery after an injury as a child, the court heard, and might have had an intellectual disability, although nothing that would prevent him giving evidence.

Tomislav Nemes was from the ACT and moved to Queensland in 2018.Credit: Queensland Police

Golem’s mother, Nemes’ wife, also lived in the house, which Nemes owned. She has not been charged.

The court heard Golem had told an undercover police operative that he had administered a liquid sedative to his stepfather for about six months to make him sleep, and so Nemes was unable to access money.

He was alleged to have killed his stepfather between August 2021 and February 2022.

The Benowa home in which Nemes was found.Credit: Queensland Police

In the hearing, Golem’s defence barrister Martin Longhurst suggested the case against his client was not that Golem had caused the death, but rather that he had allegedly committed acts that hastened the death.

He said Golem was alleged to have sedated his stepfather and then put steps in place to disallow medical treatment.

“It’s not alleged that my client himself caused the death,” Longhurst said.

“There are various things said by my client that it seems the police are relying on as admission or confession.”

Under cross-examination, Detective Senior Constable Marie Adams told the court police conducted a second interview with Golem after he had told the undercover operative to “take a hit out” on her and her colleague, by offering $100,000 to have them killed.

Nothing came of the alleged threats.

Adams said Golem had also made allegations to the undercover operative that he used a sedative on his stepfather.

Longhurst asked whether that warranted further investigation, to which Adams replied: “We could find no results that a sedative was ever issued [by the treating doctor].”

Adams told the court there was no record of any prescription drugs issued to Nemes during the period.

In response, Longhurst argued that not only was there no evidence that his client sedated Nemes, the evidence suggested he did not sedate Nemes in the way he told the undercover operative.

The view from the Benowa property in 2008, when it was previously listed for sale.

Adams later told the court that, from the interview with police, it was clear Golem knew Nemes was “going to die” and “that it was all financial based”.

Longhurst said Golem told the undercover operative in July 2023 that he had administered herbal medications to his stepfather, but did not know what the medications were.

“The defendant said [to the undercover operative] that he attempted to persuade [his stepfather] to consult a normal doctor, but he refused,” Longhurst told the court.

Adams said she was aware Nemes was taking herbal medications from a naturopath who died in 2017.

A doctor who had treated the family told the court they were challenging patients because of their beliefs regarding modern medicine.

However, the doctor said Nemes had been more willing than his wife and stepson to accept what he was prescribed, and had been following his health plan.

The doctor said the wife was very suspicious of his treatments, and was disinclined to believe him.

The court heard the doctor believed he had also been signing WorkCover, or income protection insurance for Nemes.

Another doctor told the court it was likely Nemes would have been in a coma before he died.

Longhurst asked the doctor, given Nemes’ several illnesses, including an infected bed sore, how long the coma could have lasted.

The doctor answered: “There’s no set rule, but in all probability two or three days.”

Magistrate Nerida Wilson found there was sufficient evidence to commit Golem to stand trial at a later date in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

Golem would remain in custody, with Longhurst making no application for bail. Golem had not entered a plea.

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