Woman shot dead at Morayfield unit complex identified

The 29-year-old woman allegedly shot and killed at a Morayfield home on Sunday morning has been identified as a mother of two young children, as friends have taken to social media to express their horror.

The scene at Morayfield overnight. Picture: Ben Mawhinney / OnScene South East QLD

The 29-year-old woman allegedly shot and killed at a Morayfield home on Sunday morning has been identified as a mother of two, as friends have taken to social media to express their grief and sadness

Neighbours reported hearing three to four shots during the alleged incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police were called to the property, on Grant Rd in Morayfield, near Caboolture, shortly after midnight where mother-of-two Keira Marshall was found dead from a gunshot wound.

Mother-of-two Keira Marshall has been identified as the 29-year-old woman allegedly murdered at a Morayfield home on Sunday morning. Picture: Facebook

“This is beyond f-cked up!!!! I only spoke to you yesterday!!! Keira Marshall I f-cking love you! I will always be here for your kids and your family!!! I’m so sorry I didn’t come and see you yesterday like you wanted me to! I’m so sorry,” a friend wrote on social media.

While another friend wrote that her heart was “shattered”.

“I will always be there for ur (sic) babies if they ever need … I will always remember the loving mother and friend u (sic) were … i will forever keep ur (sic) memory alive.”

Detectives on scene at an apartment complex on Grant Road at Morayfield Sunday morning. Picture: Lachie Millard

Emergency services were called to the scene after there were reports Ms Marshall had been shot and tried to assist her but she died at the scene.

An 18-year-old man is assisting police with their investigation. No charges have been laid.

Detective Inspector from the Moreton Crime Group David Harbison said the relationship between the man and Ms Marshall was yet to be determined but it appears she did not live at the home and it is not considered to be domestic violence related.

“It appears from initial investigations that the victim and the male are known to each other,” he said.

“Police have not yet determined if any relationship exists between the victim and the male, though it’s not considered at this stage to be a domestic violence related incident.

“Police investigations are attempting to establish why these persons were at this address in Morayfield, why there was a firearm at the address and ultimately, how that firearm was discharged.

“The victim certainly didn’t live at that address and our investigations are just trying to uncover why these persons were at this address.

“There was no one else at this address at this time. From our investigation so far we haven’t heard of any disturbances that occurred there prior to the gunshot.”

Forensic police officers on scene Sunday morning. Picture: Lachie Millard

Det Ins Harbison said the two appeared to have known each other in some capacity but it was too early to say how.

At this stage no firearm has been located and investigations are underway to find the weapon at the unit complex and a local childcare centre across the street.

“Detectives and forensic police will cast a wide net over the area, will door knock and will search everywhere. That’s just part of our forensic procedures,” he said.

“We’re looking for evidence including firearms. As I said, we haven’t finished our search in that unit complex yet.

“Detectives won’t actually be into that scene until probably later today or tomorrow. We have to fully forensically examine it before detectives go in.

“So at that early point of investigation, we’re looking for anything that could be evidence.”

Police on scene Sunday. Picture Lachie Millard

When asked why there were searches conducted outside the childcare centre he said: “It’s just within that area information we follow up that people could have gone places, may not have gone places, it’s just part of inquiries.”

“Detectives for Morton, with assistance from the homicide squad are conducting investigations, including door knocking neighbours scouring for CCTV, tracking movements of the victim.”

Det Insp Harbison said Ms Marshall was shot in the upper body and early information suggested there was only one gunshot discharged.

“It was obviously a very fluid scene, very confronting for police and QAS to see anyone with a gunshot wound despite their best attempts at CPR and first aid,” he said.

“Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries. So yeah, an absolute tragedy, it’s very hard on first responders both on the police and ambulance.”

Detectives on scene Sunday. Picture: Lachie Millard

Neighbours detailed the terrifying “bang” noises they heard in the middle of the night.

A woman who lives in the complex where the incident occurred said the noise was very loud and terrifying.

“I heard three, maybe four bang bang noises and then a minute later it was just a single bang.” she said.

“The noise came in different directions, I don’t know what time that was but when I decided to go upstairs and go to bed, I saw these flash lights out the back and there was a policeman standing at one of the corner units.

“It wasn’t until this morning until I heard the news (that I realised a woman was dead).”

Neighbours also woke up to police searching their backyards after the incident. The woman said it was sad to hear what had allegedly happened.

“It’s quite sad, she was only 29,” she said.

Neighbour Penelope Ackland said she was woken to the loud noise of police banging on the door.

“It was very sad, frightening and sad. She’s only a young girl, as old as my children, it’s very sad,” she said.

“And to think it was so close and not hear anything, and I don’t what’s happening.

Barry Walter has lived in the complex for four years and said nothing like this had ever happened in the neighbourhood.

“I didn’t hear anything. This morning I had police come around and they went through my surveillance camera,” she said.

“Its very frightening, the complex is usually pretty good, it has it’s moments but nothing like that has happened before.”

The scene at Morayfield overnight. Ben Mawhinney / OnScene South East QLD

A crime scene has been established at the unit complex, called the Bungalows. Police said a related vehicle had also been declared a crime scene.

Detectives were at the scene Sunday morning searching garbage at a daycare centre across the road from the scene.

The Morayfield incident was one of three shootings in the state overnight.

A manhunt is underway for a person involved in a separate shooting in Brisbane after reports of pellet shots fired in the city about 10.40pm, with at least three people believed to have been injured. Two people were in custody Sunday morning.

Further north, police shot a man dead in Townsville shortly after midnight.

When asked about shootings on Sunday, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said: “I can just imagine how traumatic that incident is for the people involved, for the neighbours, for the people in that community,” Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said.

“There can’t be a situation where shootings become normalised in this state.

“It’s not normal. It’s a traumatic thing when that occurs.”