Bogie murder case: Darryl Valroy Young’s legal aid application approved

The latest lawyer for a Queensland grazier accused of gunning down three family members at the fence line of his rural property has pushed for a lengthy court adjournment.

Darryl Valroy Young (right) is charged with murdering family members Maree and Mervyn Schwarz (top left) and Maree’s son Gragam Tighe (bottom left) on August 4, 2022 at Bogie.

The latest lawyer for a grazier accused of gunning down three family members at the fence line of his rural property pushed for a lengthy adjournment to read through the 18,000 pages of statements linked to the case.

While police prosecutions argued for as short a delay as possible as the shock tragedy surpasses its 12 months anniversary.

Mervin Schwarz, 70, Maree Schwarz, 59 and Maree’s son Graham Tighe, 35 were allegedly shot to death execution-style at Bogie, west of Bowen in 2022.

Their neighbour Darryl Valroy Young, 60, is charged with their murders, as well as the attempted murder of Graham’s brother Ross Tighe who is the sole survivor.

Emergency crews were called to the remote property early on August 4 after reports of multiple casualties following a shooting incident.

Maree and Mervyn Schwarz were allegedly gunned down at their neighbour’s fence line.

Police allege Mr Young had invited the Schwarz family for a chat about disputes over borderline and unbranded cattle, and then shot them at close range with a rifle at the front gate of his Shannonvale property.

Mr Tighe also suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach and it is alleged he was able to escape, reach a farm ute and get to a neighbouring property to raise the alarm.

Mr Young has been in custody since his arrest and his matter was set down in Bowen Magistrates Court on Tuesday, September 12 to update how his Legal Aid application had progressed.

Graham Tighe – the son of Maree Schwarz who with her husband Mervyn died from gunshots wounds, in a mass shooting in Bogie, central Queensland on 04/08/2022

He is also charged with weapons offences including possessing an unregistered category A weapon (a Breda shotgun), a restricted item (a replica weapon) and tainted property (a category A Winchester rifle).

It is alleged the weapons were found on August 5 2022, the day after the shootings, at Mr Young’s West Euri Rd, Bowen, property.

The matter has since bounced to another solicitor after the court heard Mr Young’s Legal Aid application had been approved.

Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Geoff Govey confirmed he had “just come into this matter” last week and hoped to get the police case in the next few days.

Police allege Ross Tighe is the sole survivor of a shooting that claimed the lives of his brother, mother and stepfather.

Mr Govey said he had been told the brief of evidence was 18,000 pages.

“So it’s going to take a considerable amount of time to go through that and organise that whether there’s going to be a cross examination of witnesses,” he said, asking for a “fairly substantial” adjournment.

“Months really.

“If I was to read even 500 pages a week that would take a long time.”

Darryl Young is charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder over the August 4, 2022 shootings.

The court heard Mr Young had been transferred to a prison in Brisbane for a time before he was moved back to Townsville.

“I’m committed to getting into this as soon as I possibly can,” Mr Govey said.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors pushed for “as short an adjournment as possible” given the matter had already reached it’s one year anniversary.

“It does really need to progress,” she said.

The case was adjourned until November for committal mention and Mr Young’s appearance was not required.