Phillip Alastair Harris to stand trial for Toowoomba murder of Peter Weaver and his dog

A Toowoomba man who police allege murdered and dismembered 63-year-old Peter Weaver and his dog is set to stand trial.

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

A Toowoomba man who’s spent the past four years in custody for the alleged grisly murder of a man and his dog is set to face trial this month.

Phillip Alastair Harris was charged with the murder of Peter Weaver in December 2019, after the 63-year-old’s remains were found by firefighters responding to a house fire in South Toowoomba.

The remains of Mr Weaver’s dog were also located inside the Rivett St home, which was gutted by fire on the night of December 15.

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

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service officers discovered the human and canine remains in the same room of Mr Weaver’s residence.

The case was plagued by various delays as it moved through the courts, some of which related to Queensland’s DNA testing problems and Mr Harris’s arresting officer’s unavailability.

If all goes according to plan, Mr Harris will stand trial before the Toowoomba Supreme Court for two weeks beginning November 18, 2024.

Mr Harris was charged with murder, misconduct with a corpse, arson, serious animal cruelty, and entering a dwelling with intent to commit an offence.

He has yet to enter any pleas to the charges.

Originally published as Phillip Alastair Harris to stand trial for Toowoomba murder of Peter Weaver and his dog