Phillip Harris found guilty of murdering and dismembering Toowoomba neighbour Peter Weaver

A jury has found Toowoomba man Phillip Harris guilty of stabbing his neighbour Peter Weaver to death, before dismembering and setting the body on fire in 2019.

Phillip Alastair Harris to stand trial for the alleged murder of Peter Weaver which allegedly occurred in his Toowoomba home in December 2019.

After deliberating for more than seven hours a Toowoomba jury has found Phillip Alastair Harris guilty of murdering a beloved dad and grandfather, Peter Weaver,interfering with his corpse, and unlawfully killing his dog Max.

The tradesman and hospitality worker pleaded not guilty to those charges before the Toowoomba Supreme Court on Tuesday, November, 19, four years after his arrest.

The guilty verdict was reached on Friday, November 29.

Harris, 34, stood blank faced when the verdict was read to the court.

Toowoomba man Phillip Alastair Harris was found guilty of Peter Weaver who was found dead in a fire at his Rivett St house in 2019.

Justice Thomas Bradley echoed the victim impact statements of Mr Weaver’s family telling Harris he not only took the life of a loved and adored father, grandfather, and great grandfather, but did so in the “worst way possible”.

Justice Bradley told Harris his cowardly murder of the man who lived with disabilities, and posed no threat to him, was senseless, cruel, and inexplicable, as was the killing of Mr Weaver’s elderly and partially blind dog Max.

He said Harris showed no remorse for his action or the great pain he inflicted upon Mr Weaver’s family, and told Harris his actions were evil, brutal, and had no place in a civilised society.

Harris was sentenced to life imprisonment and will be eligible to apply for parole after serving 20 years.

The court heard Harris had a four page criminal history which included carrying knives in public, domestic violence, and assaults against police and members of the community which included punching and biting a 15-year-old girl at a licensed venue.

8 Rivett St, on Tuesday, December 17, 2019. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Weaver was found dismembered by firefighters inside his home on Sunday night, December 15, 2019, alongside his loyal dog Max.

The court was told Mr Weaver, who lived with a serious brain injury, had been stabbed more than 20 times before two large hunting knives and a handheld circular were likely used to dismember his limbs.

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Weaver also had fractures to his face caused by blunt force trauma.

The Crown said Harris likely used one of the hunting knives to cut the dog’s throat and neck.

Following Harris’ arrest on the night of the fire, he told detectives he lit Mr Weaver’s home on fire after stumbling across the crime scene and tracking his DNA through the home while trying to be a hero and catching the real killer.

He said he went there for Mr Weaver’s prescription Xanax medication.

Originally published as Phillip Harris found guilty of murdering and dismembering Toowoomba neighbour Peter Weaver