Darryl Valroy Young charged with murdering three family members at Bogie

Lawyers for a cattle property owner accused of executing three family members is pushing to question an eyewitness to the alleged triple homicide, a court heard.

The barrister for a cattle property owner accused of executing three family members at the front gate of his remote holdings is pushing to question an eyewitness to the alleged triple homicide, a court heard.

However there was a dispute over what questions, if any, could be asked.

Barrister Douglas Wilson, who is representing murder accused Darryl Valroy Young, has requested a directions hearing so the courts can decide the matter.

It is understood a number of witnesses are expected to be questioned as part of a committal hearing into the August 4, 2022 incident, which is expected to be transferred to the supreme court sometime in 2024.

Mervin Schwarz, 70, Maree Schwarz, 59 and Maree’s son Graham Tighe, 35 were allegedly shot to death over boundary lines and unbranded cattle, with Mr Young charged with their murders.

Maree and Merv Schwarz and Graham Tighe all died after a shooting at a Bogie property west of Mackay. Ross Tighe survived a gunshot wound to the stomach after undergoing emergency surgery.

The 60 year old grazier, who has been in custody since his arrest, is also charged with the attempted murder of Graham’s brother Ross Tighe who is alleged to be the sole survivor.

Emergency crews were called to the remote property in the early hours that Thursday after reports of multiple casualties following a shooting incident west of Bowen.

Picture of police tape sealing off Shannonvale Rd about 3km from crime scene which saw Mervyn and Maree Schwarz along with Graham Tighe shot and killed and the wounding of Ross Tighe at Bogie, Central Queensland

Police allege Mr Young had invited the Schwarz family for a chat 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 and get to a neighbouring property to raise the alarm.

Mr Young 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).

Darryl Young is charged with three counts of murder.

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

When the matter was mentioned in Bowen on December 12 Magistrates Michelle Howard asked “What’s the situation today?”

Mr Wilson, who is instructed by Legal Aid Queensland, said “at the least” there was going “to be some disagreement about the eyewitness” he wanted to question as part of the committal hearing process.

He asked for the case to be listed for a directions hearing, which was expected to take at least half a day.

Mr Wilson was told to have his submissions filed by late February and prosecution will have its response in early March.

The matter will next be in court in late March.