Bruce Lea charged with murdering brother in allegedly ‘deliberate’ house fire

An ice user allegedly “deliberately” set a Swan Hill home on fire, killing his brother inside. He’s now been charged with murder.

Bruce Lea has been charged with the murder of a 41-year-old Swan Hill man.

A ice addict has been charged with murdering his own brother after a body was found in a “suspicious” Swan Hill house fire.

Swan Hill man Bruce Lea, 41, faced Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with murder.

Police will allege the man “deliberately” set a fire inside a house on Domaille Crescent about 5.40pm on 18 September.

Emergency services attended after reports of a fire and “found the front of the house to be well alight and extensively damaged”.

The accused was found in front of the burning house. He was arrested but was found not fit to be interviewed.

Mr Lea’s brother, 40-year-old Swan Hill man Kevin James Lea, was found dead inside the property.

Twenty five firefighters attended the scene to get the blaze under control. Picture: Himangi Singh.

Homicide Squad detectives charged Mr Lae today with murdering his brother.

The court heard Mr Lea was schizophrenic and was withdrawing from the drug ice.

The court heard police would tender CCTV and body worn camera footage as evidence.

The court heard that police were compiling forensic analysis and pathology reports into the cause of the man’s death that would be served within 10 weeks.

Mr Lae was remanded in custody and will appear at Mildura Magistrates’ Court in November.