Steven Dean Michael Walker-Ely appears in Mackay court charged with murder

Tears flowed in the courtroom as a Mackay man was formally charged over the stabbing of a 25 year old and appeared for the first time. Read the latest.

A man charged with stabbing a stranger to death after a body was found in a Mackay field has faced court for the first time.

Murder-accused Steven Dean Michael Walker-Ely, 33, was dressed in watch-house greens when he appeared via videolink in Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Mr Walker-Ely’s bearded face was visibly strained as Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan read aloud his charge.

“On December 14 in Paget, you murdered Birdsall Fa’apepele,” Ms Hartigan said.

The courtroom was packed for the five minutes Steven Walker-Ely’s matter was heard, with at least five young people visibly emotional sitting in the gallery.

Police were called to a vacant lot at Farrellys and Broadsound Rds after the 25-year-old’s body with stab wounds was found 700m from The Park caravan park about 3am on Tuesday, December 14.

Mr Walker-Ely was taken into custody and charged with murder late yesterday.

The court heard Mr Walker-Ely did not apply for bail and if he had wanted to, the application would need to be made in the supreme court.

Steven Walker-Ely was taken into custody and charged with murder late yesterday.

Ms Hartigan asked Mr Walker-Ely’s solicitor Sean Gibbs, of Fisher Dore Lawyers, if any of his client’s friends or family were in the court and wished to speak to the accused, to which Mr Gibbs said none that were coming forward.

The courtroom was packed for the five minutes Mr Walker-Ely’s matter was heard, with at least five young people visibly emotional sitting in the gallery.

Near the end of the matter, one young woman began to cry with those sitting close moving to comfort her.

The matter was adjourned for a committal mention next year.