Councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden charged with murder after body found in Gold Coast home

A councillor has been charged with murder after the body of a 58-year-old man, believed to be the de facto partner of his mother, was found.

A councillor charged with murder after the body of a man was found inside a suburban home is expected to plead not guilty, a court has been told.

Gold Coast man Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, 30, did not appear before Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday after a body was discovered on Chifley Place in Arundel just after 3pm on Wednesday following a “disturbance”.

The body of Robert Malcolm Lumsden, 58, believed to be the de facto partner of Mr Bayldon-Lumsden’s mother, was found at the house.

Police forensics examining the scene at the Gold Coast home where the body was found. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

Police were called to the home just after 3pm on Wednesday following reports of a ‘disturbance’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

Responding officers performed CPR but the man was unable to be revived and died at the scene.

The Gold Coast councillor, who was allegedly at the property at the time, was taken into custody.

He has since been charged with one count of murder.

The crime scene has been taped off from its suburban street. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

The matter was briefly mentioned before Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Mr Bayldon-Lumsden’s lawyer Jason Murakami told the court his client intended to plead not guilty.

No formal plea has been entered.

The matter was adjourned to September 8 for further mention.

A brief of evidence has been ordered once the crime scene investigation has been completed, which is expected to take three days.

Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden is accused of murder. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Mr Bayldon-Lumsden, who was elected to Gold Coast City Council in 2020, remains in custody.

The court was told he would make a bail application within the next 14 days.

Following consultation with Gold Coast City Council chief executive Tim Baker, Mayor Tom Tate told reporters on Thursday that Mr Bayldon-Lumsden would remain in office until further notice.

However, his Division 7 council office has been closed.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says Mr Bayldon-Lumsden will remain in office for the time being. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Steve Holland

“Whether he gets bail or not, that will determine the direction the city will take and in the interim I will write to the Deputy Premier (Steven Miles), who is the Local Government Minister, and ask him for advice because the power rests with him in terms of options for councillor Bayldon-Lumsden,” Mr Tate said.

“(His seat is) not vacant, he is still a councillor and if he is on bail, he is currently a councillor.

“The question to ask is, can he carry out his council duties? And if he cannot, then we make the next move on what we do with Division 7.”

The Gold Coast councillor, who was allegedly at the property at the time when the body was found, was taken into custody. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Scott Powick

Mr Tate said he was “devastated” after hearing about the allegations against his colleague.

“Of course we are shocked, condolences to the family and the issue is that he is innocent before being proven guilty,” he said.

It comes weeks after council filled another empty councillor spot following Cameron Caldwell’s resignation when he was elected to federal parliament.

Originally published as Councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden charged with murder after body found in Gold Coast home