Teens charged with murder after body found in Maryborough home
MOURNING friends of John Bourke, whose body was found in a Maryborough house, say he was a “total gentleman” who “had the biggest heart” and believe his death was a case of mistaken identity.
Law & Order
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A MAN was “totally defenceless” as he was beaten to death and his home trashed in what friends believe was a case of mistaken identity.
Devastated mates gathered at a Maryborough pub on Monday to raise a glass to John Bourke, a man they say “wouldn’t and couldn’t hurt a fly”.
Two local teens were charged with murder after his lifeless body was found about midday on Sunday.
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The 15-year-old and 17-year-old boys — who cannot be named for legal reasons — appeared briefly in the Children’s Court on Monday.
It’s understood one line of inquiry police are considering is that the alleged killers were seeking retribution over a previous conflict.
But Mr Bourke’s friends said they believed he was wrongly targeted and that the intended target may have lived nearby.
Police had taped off two properties to the left of Mr Bourke’s house on Monday as forensics teams continued to comb the crime scene.
Mr Bourke, 45, had been severely disabled after suffering a car crash and relied on crutches and a mobility scooter.
Friends said Mr Bourke was a well-liked member of the Freemasons, and a fanatical Richmond supporter.
He had gone home to watch the footy on Saturday night after a drink at his favourite watering hole, The Park Hotel.
“He sat in here and had lunch that day, he was good as gold — he was never not happy,” Jules Irwin said.
They returned on Monday to the pub to console each other, shaking their heads in disbelief as they remembered a “gentleman” who was quick-witted and didn’t mind a prank — his favourite being when locals covered his mobility scooter in 200m of yellow and black Tigers tape after last year’s Grand Final.
Anthony Tyers said Mr Bourke would do anything for his friends.
“He wouldn’t hurt a fly, he would give you the shirt off his back,” Mr Tyers said.
“He’s a total gentleman.”
Mr Bourke moved to Maryborough from Melbourne almost a decade ago and was known to mates as “little little Johnny” because of was “four foot six on a good hair day,” — and even smaller than another local friend already nicknamed “little Johnny”.
“For a little bloke he had the biggest heart,” one man said.
The close-knit community was reeling from the tragedy, the second alleged murder in the town in past months.
“You’d think you can go home at the end of the day and feel safe,” Mr Tyers said.
“Now it makes you wonder.
“It just doesn’t make sense. “Why not just take the stuff and leave the poor guy alone?”
They said Mr Bourke often sat at night in his remote recliner lounge chair to watch TV, and would fall asleep in his chair.
“They kicked the door down and he wouldn’t have even had time to get out of his chair,” one friend said.
“It’s not exactly like he would have been able to fight back.”
Neighbours on Derby Rd said they had heard voices in the street in the early hours of Sunday and looked out the window to see a group of people, while there was also noise from a house party.
They said that apart from that, there had been no obvious sign of the shocking weekend violence.
“We see him go past on his scooter and he waves,” one neighbour said.
Another added: “It’s an absolute tragedy and our hearts and thoughts go out to the family”.
The investigation continues.
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.