Man charged with murder after 26-year-old stabbed outside RQ’s tavern in Robina

A man has been charged with murder after a 26-year-old was allegedly stabbed in the chest outside a Gold Coast tavern in a 90-second fight. The victim has been named. Read the latest

Homicide detectives investigating death of Nerang man outside RQ’s tavern in Robina

A man has been charged with murder after a 26-year-old was allegedly stabbed in the chest outside a Gold Coast tavern in a fight that police will allege lasted just 90 seconds.

Police will allege that a man, also 26, arrived with his girlfriend at RQ’s Tavern on Markeri St at about 10.15pm, where the victim - named today as Gold Coaster Dylan McPadden - was enjoying drinks with friends at an outdoor smoking area.

“(A man) has arrived at the tavern in company with a female and arguments have commenced almost directly,” Detective Acting Inspector Mark Proctor alleged.

“As a result of that argument he has produced a knife and stabbed the victim once in the chest,” he alleged.

“... The whole incident occurred within minutes. Approximately 90 seconds.”

Police at the scene outside RQ’s Tavern in Robina.

It is understood punches were thrown before a knife was produced, with Mr McPadden suffering a single one-inch stab wound.

Mr McPadden, of Nerang, was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital by emergency services where he died at 11pm.

Gold Coast 26-year-old Dylan McPadden. Picture: Dylan McPadden Facebook

His Facebook page, listing him as an ex Nerang State High student who studied at Southern Cross University, features a post just three days ago, saying: “Yessssss today feels like a day to dance...”

Five days ago he posted “Uber is the new hospitality”.

Police investigations then led them to a Mermaid Beach motel, where a male and his girlfriend had checked in just a day earlier.

A man was arrested at the motel and later charged with murder. He will appear at Southport Magistrates Court on Saturday.

A man accused of the murder of a 36-year-old man at RQ’s Tavern on Markeri St in Robina arrives at the Southport Watchhouse. Picture: 7NEWS Gold Coast.

Det Insp Proctor said a number of knives were recovered at the unit where the man was arrested, but it was yet to be determined which, if any, were used in the stabbing.

“We have conducted a search warrant of the unit and we have located several knives,” he said. “We will have to determine through scientific means which knife was used, if in fact it was any of the knives we seized.”

The deceased Mr McPadden was said to be a regular at RQ’s Tavern, where staff are said to be traumatised by what happened.

His friends who witnessed the incident are also said to be in shock.

Detective Acting Inspector Mark Proctor speaking to media about the stabbing death of a 26-year-old Nerang man in Robina.

A 30-year-old girlfriend of the accused is helping police in Burleigh with their inquiries.

The accused’s car – a red Nissan Navara of approximately 10 years old – has been seized by police as part of their inquiries.

Det Insp Proctor said police were appealing to anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the vehicle in the area at the time to contact them.

“There were very few witnesses. It was getting close to closing time,” he said.

“... He (the deceased man) was with friends. He was there having a drink with friends.

They are traumatised.

“It was a fight that turned deadly very quickly. It started off as a fight, a knife was produced and it ended very quickly,” he alleged.

“... It’s just such a waste. I understand the young man was a regular at that tavern, so they would have known him. They are very traumatised today.”

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