‘F***, we’ve got no gun’: Sole survivor tells of moments before Bogie triple shooting
The loved ones of three family members allegedly gunned down by a neighbour have told of their shock and vowed to be a ‘voice for the dead’. FULL COVERAGE, VIDEO, PHOTOS
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The sole survivor of an alleged triple murder has shared what he thought his brother was thinking in the moments before he was gunned down in an execution-style killing.
Ross Tighe and his brother Graham were the first of four family members to arrive for an early morning meeting with their neighbour Darryl Valroy Young at the front gate of his cattle property, west of Bowen.
He told the court it was about a 20 minute drive and when asked about any conversation between him and his brother Mr Tighe said, “I do remember saying ‘F*** we’ve got no gun.
He said “Yeah f***”, but said they had both been relaxed.
Mr Tighe was the first of seven witnesses to be called in a committal hearing for Mr Young, who is charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Mr Young is charged over the shooting deaths of Mr Tighe’s brother Graham Tighe, their mother Maree Schwarz and stepfather Mervyn Schwarz.
Mr Tighe told Mackay Magistrates Court Mr Young had already been parked on his side of the gate separating Shannonvale and Sutherland properties when the brothers arrived just before 8am on August 4, 2022.
Mr Tighe said Mr Young was sitting in the driver’s seat with the door open.
Barrister Douglas Wilson, for Mr Young, said, “You didn’t see a firearm at all at that stage?”, to which Mr Tighe said no.
He told the court they had brought a key to return to Mr Young that they had been given to use a road on Mr Young’s property.
He said Mr Young had told them just to hang the key on the fence.
“I just thought what the f***, and then looked at him. Graham hung the key up.
“(I) thought what the f***’s this d***head doing.”
Mr Wilson asked about Graham’s demeanour during this interaction.
Mr Tighe said his brother was “a little bit stirred up” but wasn’t cranky.
“He wasn’t bloody going red ready to punch him. He looked like he thought Darryl was a f***wit.”
The court heard Ross had no issue with Mr Young or his family until the alleged shooting and had even gone pigging with his son Derek Young.
Mr Wilson asked him to describe his relationship with Mr Young right up to that moment.
“I thought he was a bit of a loose unit but I didn’t have any dramas. I didn’t care if he was f***ing crazy … I thought he was alright,” he said.
Mr Tighe said when his mum and stepfather arrived, Mr Young got out of his vehicle.
He said Mervyn was calm and collected, walked up to the gate and attempted to shake Mr Young’s hand, but he refused.
Before Mr Tighe was questioned, prosecutor Sheena Gravino handed up statements from more than 140 witnesses as part of the police case.
Murder accused ‘seemed surprised’ on way to watchouse, court hears
A police officer who initially transported the murder accused to Bowen watch house also described how he “seemed surprised” he was a suspect.
Senior Constable Andrew Goodall was one of the officers in the police POD when Mr Young was taken into custody.
“He just seemed surprised he was considered a suspect and that he was headed towards the watch house,” Senior Constable Goodall told the court.
“I do recall he asked if he was going to be released from the watch house.”
Senior Constable Goodall said Mr Young had been calm but not saying or doing much.
“He seemed surprised, he seemed a little bit taken aback. He didn’t seem resigned, he seemed surprised.”
‘Nothing out of ordinary’ before alleged murders
Two wind farm contractors Liam Parnell and Matthew Garbutt had been working on Mr Young’s property when the alleged murders occurred.
The court heard Mr Young had been in his car at the front gate when they arrived about 7.30am and the pair had then driven about an hour to reach their worksite.
Mr Parnell said he briefly made small talk with Mr Young and there was “nothing out of the ordinary for me”.
He told the court after they had arrived, Mr Young, Derek and a woman named Sharon showed up on two ATVs. “I didn’t notice anything … out of the ordinary,” Mr Parnell said, adding the trio had offered to help with their work.
Mr Parnell said he received a phone call about 11.30am that something had happened at the property and they were all to stay put.
“We stayed there for a long time,” Mr Parnell said. He told the court about 4.30pm “we all got into the Highlux and headed down towards the gate” after being told by the police negotiator.
‘The dead don’t have a voice’: Family friend speaks out
Loved ones of three family members allegedly gunned down by a neighbour at the front gate of his rural cattle property have spoken out about their frustrations ahead of another lengthy wait for the triple murder case to be finalised.
“The whole process is just exceptionally long, but we are willing and ready and we will wait,” a supporter very close to the slain trio said.
“As long as this takes to get justice, we will see it to the end.”
‘The man, who preferred to withhold his name, was among the large group who gathered at Mackay courthouse for the committal hearing for Darryl Valroy Young.
The case has already involved multiple mentions at Bowen Magistrates Court over the past two years, to which the supporter has attended every one.
“The dead don’t have a voice, somebody needs to be here to be their voice,” he said.
He found out about the fatal shooting the day it happened and said when he first heard it was in “complete disbelief”.
“Are we in America?” he said.
“They were the nicest, most straight up and down, most honest people you have ever met,” he added about the trio.
“Called it exactly how it was, but was just straight up honest, genuine people.”
He said those close to the deceased were frustrated that “the whole process takes so long”.
“The whole family and every victim suffers waiting for an answer, waiting for justice,” he said.
Mr Young has now been committed to the Townsville Supreme Court on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
His barrister Douglas Wilson told Mackay Magistrates Court it was accepted there was a prima facie case.
When called on if he had anything to say, he said no.
Mr Young has not entered any pleas.
Extra security as Bogie triple murder hearing begins
The committal hearing for Bogie triple murder accused Darryl Valroy Young will begin today as seven witnesses including the alleged sole survivor and only eye witness are set to be questioned.
Police allege Ross Tighe watched as Mr Young gunned down his brother Graham Tighe, mother Maree Schwarz and stepfather Mervyn Schwarz early on August 4, 2022 on a rural cattle property west of Bowen.
It is alleged Mr Young had invited the four family members to an early morning meeting at the front gate of his Shannonvale property over a dispute about boundary lines, a water bore and the return of unbranded cattle.
Extra police are positioned inside Mackay’s Supreme Court room, as well as within the building where the committal hearing is being held, presided by Acting Magistrate Athol Kennedy.
A large group of supporters of the Schwarz and Tighe families, including children and siblings of the slain trio, arrived at court – some wearing a fishing shirt with a print and words honouring their memory.
Barely half of the group – only about 20 – will be able to remain in the gallery of the supreme court because of space.
The supporters of the Schwarz and Tighe's were already crammed into the gallery when Darryl Young was brought into the courtroom dock.
He was dressed in a dark blue button up shirt, dark slacks and pluggers.
Police officers are positioned on either side of the glassed dock, which is directly in front of the family and friends of the people he’s accused of killing.
Police allege after some discussion between the two parties, Mr Young retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and started shooting.
The alleged murder weapon has never been found.
Ross Tighe also suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach and, critically injured, allegedly managed to flee and seek help.
Mr Young is charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder and has remained in custody on remand since his arrest. He has not entered any pleas.
A last-minute change of venue was granted after fears the regional courthouse wouldn’t be able to protect witnesses or the accused — even with six extra tactical police officers.
Police prosecutor Sheena Gravino said it had “become apparent” there were security issues in the Bowen courthouse, including an open dock for the accused, when requesting a change to Mackay.
The six extra tactical officers would be spread too thin across the court’s five entrances, and unable to protect people while proceedings took place, the court heard.
More to come
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