Police allege Larissa Beilby brutally beaten before her death as Zlatko Sikorsky charged with murder

POLICE will allege teenager Larissa Beilby was brutally beaten by Zlatko Sikorsky before her body was dumped in a barrel. But his lawyer is claiming “misadventure”.

POLICE will allege teenager Larissa Beilby was brutally beaten by Zlatko Sikorsky in the lead-up to her death and before she was dumped in a barrel at a property south of Brisbane. But his lawyer has said Sikorsky will fight the charge, claiming the teen may have died due to misadventure.

“The murder charge will be defended in due course and that’s going to be a lengthy process before we ever get to trial,” Mr Ryan said outside court today.

“I’m going to maintain that (misadventure) and we’re going to wait until the autopsy report is provided to police and to my office, and no doubt hopefully misadventure will be open on the basis of that autopsy report.

“Misadventure normally refers to circumstances relating to accidents … that’s what I’m going to stick with.”

Zlatko Sikorsky, 34, is taken to Maroochydore Police Station, after his surrender on Saturday night. Picture: AAP/Darren England

His comments came after Sikorsky’s case was mentioned in court today.

He has been held in custody to have his next day in court in September.

In a brief mention in Maroochydore Magistrates Court, the magistrate listed his case to be mentioned in Beenleigh. Sikorsky did not appear in court but remained in the watch house.

Larissa’s body was found inside a barrel on the back of a ute that was abandoned on Wednesday at a residential complex at Stapylton on the northern Gold Coast.

Footage from CCTV cameras around the Buccan acreage property is expected to form an integral part of the police case.

Detectives yesterday charged Sikorsky with murder and misconduct with a corpse, after a siege lasting more than 24 hours ended with the 34-year-old’s surrender.

He has since been charged with another 16 offences including two counts of possessing tainted property, and one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, obstructing a police officer, possessing a category H weapon, possessing a category C weapon, and possessing dangerous drugs.

Police at the scene of a siege at Alexandra Headlands. Picture: AAP/Darren England

His lawyer earlier told ABC “I absolutely believe he’s innocent, and I’ve been doing this a long time”.

“I think if the police do their job they’ll discover he didn’t commit murder.

“If they dot their i’s and cross their t’s they will discover that he didn’t do anything and rather she may well have passed through misadventure.”

Two others, a 40-year-old Palmwoods woman and a 38-year-old Alexandra Headland man, were charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Tracy Ann Thomson had her matter adjourned to Beenleigh Magistrates Court on the same date as Sikorsky, September 3.

Alexandra Headland man Joseph Geiger appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court by video link but has been refused the chance to apply for bail. It’s understood he is the occupant of the unit where the siege took place before Sikorsky’s arrest.

The court was told Joseph Geiger — who appeared by video link looking tired and wearing a watchhouse smock — wanted to apply for bail.

But when Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin was told the parole board was considering cancelling Geiger’s parole he put the bail hearing over until tomorrow.

He said there was no point hearing a bail application if the parole board decided to put him back in custody an hour later.

Geiger protested he was “starting a new job today” but was kept in custody.

Police earlier told The Courier-Mail they were doing all they could to support Ms Beilby’s family while grieving friends described the schoolgirl as “beautiful” and “strong”.

The teen, originally from Adelaide, was reported missing on June 26, almost two weeks after she was last seen leaving transitional accommodation in Sandgate.

Schoolgirl Larissa Beilby was just 16 when she died after allegedly being brutally beaten.

She is believed to have met Sikorsky at a party in the weeks before her death.

The teenager’s father reported her missing after not having any contact with her for more than a week. Within hours of being told of her disappearance, police were knocking on the door of a Buccan property where they intended to ask Sikorsky about her whereabouts.

Instead, he allegedly fled out the back door and drove away in a black ute. The ute was found soon after with a barrel containing Ms Beilby’s body hidden under a tarp in the rear tray.

Homicide Unit Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said Ms Beilby’s family were told on Saturday that her body had been formally identified. Supporters set up an online fundraising account yesterday for the Beilby family.

“Please help us raise the funds necessary to put beautiful Larissa to rest in a safe and loving space, the one she deserves,” the plea read.

Sikorsky held police at bay until Saturday evening, when he was arrested without incident. Specialist police, including snipers, surrounded a unit at Alexandra Headland while negotiators worked at convincing an allegedly armed Sikorsky to come out.

He could be heard shouting, “I just don’t want to get shot” as police repeated “that’s not going to happen” in an effort to convince him to surrender.

Insp Hansen said police were still appealing for information about Sikorsky’s relationship with Ms Beilby.

“Information is still vital to the investigation,” he said.

Sikorsky’s lawyer, Brendan Ryan, said his client was innocent.

“The evidence will no doubt support a death through misadventure,” Mr Ryan said yesterday.

“It was just an absolute unfortunate set of circumstances.”

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