Forensic work continues at luxury home after alleged murder of businessman

The multimillion-dollar home where a well-known businessman was allegedly fatally stabbed by a teenager during a party this week was still teeming with police on Saturday morning.

Universal Store co-founder Greg Josephson was murdered at his six-bedroom house in the exclusive Brisbane suburb of Clayfield by a teenage boy on Thursday night, police allege.

Multiple forensic investigators in hairnets and rubber gloves were seen coming in and out of the property early Saturday.

Universal Store co-founder Greg Josephson was allegedly murdered at his six-bedroom house in the exclusive Brisbane suburb of Clayfield by a teenager.Credit: William Davis

A handful of luxury cars slowed down outside to glimpse the scene.

About half-a-dozen police vehicles remained at the house as of 8am, with officers at entrances.

Morning TV crews had also set up in the exclusive neighbourhood.

Police at the home in Clayfield on Saturday morning. Credit: William Davis

The alleged murder looks set to be the first major test of Queensland’s controversial adult crime, adult time legislation.

Under the new laws, which were a key plank of Premier David Crisafulli’s election pitch last year, juveniles can face life sentences for serious criminal offences.

Asked about the prospect of the boy being the first to face a murder charge under the new regime, Crisafulli played it safe.

Greg Josephson co-founded Universal Store with his brother, Michael.Credit: Instagram

“I’m just mindful at the moment, where a family’s lost someone in recent hours, I might reserve my comments on that in particular,” he said.

“But, just more generally, when things like this happen … it makes people particularly reflect about how precious life is and we’ll let the courts do their job.”

The alleged stabbing happened on Thursday night during a party at the house, which was worth more than $5 million.

Police were called to the scene of the party, with about 30 teenagers, to find Josephson critically injured in the top floor of the home.

Detectives were working to determine the circumstances of his death, confirming they had located the alleged weapon used, but would not elaborate on other details.

Responding officers described the scene as “chaotic”.

The home in Clayfield has entrances onto two different streets, with police seen at both on Saturday morning.Credit: William Davis

“It was a confusing situation because it was a party, obviously, and when police turn up at a party it was confusing until obviously all persons present understood what was going on and why police were there,” Detective Acting Superintendent Craig Williams said on Friday morning.

A triple-zero call had been made to police, Williams said, but whether the call came from inside the home was still being investigated.

“It’s an extremely distressing job, of course, when a young person is involved and any time there’s loss of life,” he said.

The house in the exclusive suburb of Clayfield on Saturday morning. Credit: William Davis

“It’s distressing for the family, it’s distressing for the community, and the innocent people at the house who had nothing to do with it.”

The accused boy was found in a nearby street by officers and remained in custody, with the Children’s Court on Friday hearing he had been taken to hospital. His case was adjourned to September 2.

Josephson founded the Universal Store in 1999 with his brother Michael, with the first store opening in Carindale in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs.

The brothers no longer own the company, having sold it for $100 million in 2018. As of December, there were more than 80 Universal Store shopfronts across Australia.

The Clayfield home in which Greg Josephson’s body was found on Thursday night.

The 58-year-old was most recently the chief executive of Josephson Holdings, and previously held roles at Westfield and Lendlease.

The Josephson family home, with six bedrooms and six bathrooms, sat on a 1259-square-metre block and had been listed for sale last month.

It was bought in May 2016 for $1.91 million and had undergone extensive renovation since.

On Friday afternoon, Josephson’s family issued a statement through police asking for privacy.