Greg McLellan charged with murder after death of housemate in Townsville
A Townsville man lost his life despite the best efforts of bystanders, who desperately tried to save him, after he was allegedly stabbed in the neck. The man charged with murder remains in custody.
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UPDATE: A TOWNSVILLE man lost his life despite the best efforts of bystanders, who desperately tried to save him, after he was allegedly stabbed in the neck.
Matthew Joyce, 52, has been identified as the man tragically killed in his own Mundingburra home late on Saturday afternoon.
His housemate Greg David McLellan, 44, has been charged with murder.
Townsville Police Detective Inspector Dave Miles said police were tasked to the China St home after reports a man was assaulted.
He said when officers arrived at the scene they were confronted with a man who had suffered what appeared to be a stab wound to his neck.
A group of people were working to save the 52-year-old’s life outside his Mundingburra home when police arrived but, Det Insp Miles said the man could not be saved.
McLellan had his matter briefly mentioned in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday where he was represented by Andrew Peel of Purcell Taylor Lawyers.
He was taken into custody after police arrived at the home.
Det Inspector Miles said there was no ongoing risk to the community and dismissed suggestions of an increase in knife crime, but warned of the “perils” posed when the tools were used in an altercation.
“During these instances people will take up a variety of implements …, unfortunately in the domestic situation knives are readily available,” he said.
“Sadly as we have seen here and we have seen on many other occasions they do cause significant trauma when used as weapons.
“There are perils in that.”
Det Inspector Miles paramedics took over CPR efforts before they rushed the man to hospital.
“The two males are known to each other and they live in the same home but it is not a domestic violence offence,” he said.
“There are indications there may have been a verbal disagreement or an argument.”
He said police were working to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident.
McLellan faces a single charge of murder as well as two unrelated charges for possessing dangerous drugs and tainted property.
He made no application for bail and did not appear in court when the charges against him were mentioned for the first time.
The matter will return to court in October.
INITIAL: POLICE have ruled out a domestic violence link after an altercation between two men turned fatal in Townsville.
A 52-year-old man died in hospital after he was allegedly stabbed in the neck by the man he shared a home with.
Greg David McLellan, 44, was taken into custody and charged with murder.
He also faces two minor unrelated charges for allegedly possessing dangerous drugs and tainted property.
Addressing the media on Monday, Detective Inspector Dave Miles said police were still working to determine exactly what led to the alleged murder.
He said officers were called to the China Street address shortly after 5pm on Saturday where people were working to save the man’s life.
Inspector Miles ruled out any domestic violence links but said the two men were living together at the address.
“At this stage we are not sure what the actual lead up to it was, there are indications there may have been a verbal disagreement or an argument,” he said.
“Those issues are still subject to our investigations.
“We don’t really know the extent of it but that will come out in due course.”
Det Insp Miles said people at the scene were trying to save the 52-year-old’s life before paramedics arrived but that the man tragically died after he was taken to hospital.
McLellan will face Townsville Magistrates Court later today.
Originally published as Greg McLellan charged with murder after death of housemate in Townsville
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