Accused killer Paul Cohrs allegedly told police why he shot mother, brother: court
A former deputy mayor accused of murdering his brother and mother 100km apart in different states allegedly told police the reason why he did it, a court has heard.
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A former deputy mayor accused of shooting dead his mother and brother allegedly told police he did it because “they are the evilest people in the world”.
Paul Cohrs, 59, allegedly shot his brother, Raymond Cohrs, 64, before driving some 100km away and pulling the trigger on his mother, Bette Cohrs-Schulz, 81, on October 30 last year.
Police allege he pulled a single-barrel shotgun from his car and fired at his brother who was just 3m away at their Lake Victoria homestead in New South Wales about 10am.
Mr Cohrs, who stood down as Wentworth Shire deputy mayor in June 2015 after two years, then allegedly moved closer to his brother on the ground and said, “Have you had enough pain yet?” before firing a shot into his head.
The alleged shooting took place in front of real estate agent Michael Fernandez, who was there to evaluate the property for potential sale.
Mr Fernandez told police Mr Cohrs handcuffed him to a pole in a wool shed soon after the shooting, returning three hours later to tell him he had been to Mildura and shot his mother.
The details of Mr Cohrs’s alleged crimes emerged in a civil proceeding in the Supreme Court where Mr Fernandez plans to sue Mr Cohrs for compensation.
Mr Fernandez is seeking damages for pain and suffering, as well as loss of earnings and medical expenses.
He successfully applied for $1 million of Mr Cohrs assets to be frozen so he could possibly make a claim once the criminal proceedings had ended.
Mr Cohrs is charged with the murder of his mother and is expected to face trial next year.
He has pleaded not guilty.
New South Wales police are yet to lay charges over his brother’s murder, or the alleged false imprisonment of Mr Fernandez.
In Justice Michael Croucher’s written judgment to grant the freezing order to Mr Fernandez, he remarked it was a “striking series of events” that had allegedly occurred on both sides of the Victoria-New South Wales border.
He said Mr Cohrs had been in a partnership with his brother in various businesses in Mildura connected with the building industry and property development.
“The two of them had been involved in a commercial dispute in this court concerning the partnership since September 2016,” Justice Croucher said.
His judgment detailed how Mr Cohrs allegedly arrived at his mother’s home in Red Cliffs and shot her in the chest as she stood in the kitchen about 11.30am.
At 12.27pm, police allege Mr Cohrs rang triple-0 saying his “grandmother” had been shot and that her six-year-old grandson was in the house.
He declined to give the deceased woman’s name or further details, and said he was “not sure” who the shooter was, before hanging up.
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Nine minutes later, Mr Cohrs allegedly made another call to a lawyer at a Melbourne law firm, saying “the court case is over”.
“I just shot Raymond dead and I’ve shot my mother dead,” the voice message said.
“I don’t believe I’ll live the rest of the day out.”
Mr Cohrs allegedly returned to the homestead about 1pm and removed the handcuffs from Mr Fernandez, telling him he had been to Mildura and shot his mother.
He told Mr Fernandez to take his brother’s vehicle and go to the Wentworth Police Station.
When police confronted Mr Cohrs on the property, he turned the shotgun to his chest and fired. Police administered first aid and he was rushed to hospital.
Police say Mr Cohrs admitted the shootings, and when asked why he did it, he allegedly said it was because “they are the evilest people in the world”.
Mr Cohrs will face a directions hearing over his mother’s murder in the Supreme Court on December 2.