Jay Brogden murder: Airlie Beach underworld exposed as killer convicted

A brutal execution-style murder has exposed Airlie Beach’s seedy underworld but it took 15 years before the shocking details could be publicly laid bare.

The brutal murder of Jay Brogden takes place amid the seedy underworld of Airlie Beach’s drug scene – and it has taken 15 years for the shocking details to be publicly laid bare.

The 21 year old was said to be a drug user and allegedly a low-level dealer.

His killer claimed the young father had become tied up selling for the town’s “kingpin”, who sourced his stash from local bikies.

Newly released photos of Whitsunday murder victim Jay Brogden after Gavin Philip Parnell was found guilty in Mackay Supreme Court was found guilty on Friday, May 13, 2022. He is pictured with his cousin. Picture: Jay Brogden family

And it was this that ultimately led to his violent death – shot in the head and his body dumped over the side of a boat in waters off Shute Harbour.

His family knew something bad had happened, but they were left in the dark.

Finally in May 2022, the young father’s murderer was convicted and jailed for life.

About Jay

Mr Brogden was born on March 1, 1986, the first of five siblings, and went missing on April 21, 2007.

He grew up in New South Wales and the ACT but moved to the Whitsunday area in about 2004 when he was age 18.

Regardless of distance, the 21 year old and his mum Gina Merritt were close. In fact, she told the court they would not go longer than a week without a phone call.

“We spoke all the time, he would find a way to call me or visa versa,” Ms Merritt said.

Gina Merritt, mother of Jay Brogden, leaves Mackay courthouse during a murder trial into her son's death. A jury found Gavin Philip Parnell guilty of the heinous crime.

The last time the heartbroken mother saw her son was in the months before he went missing was when he visited around his 21st birthday.

When it came time for him to return to the Whitsundays Ms Merritt said, “He was hugging me while I begged him not to go.

“He said to me, ‘I’m coming back mum. I love you and I promise I will never miss another Christmas.”

While living in the Whitsundays, he began a relationship with a woman named Patricia Heath, who in late 2006 gave birth to their daughter.

The last known time he was seen he had been at a barbecue at his aunt Caroline Merritt’s unit at Pioneer Bay Apartments.

Jay Brogden loved to fish. He is here with his young cousins before he was murdered in April 2007. Picture: Jay Brogden family

On this night, he assaulted Ms Heath and Ms Merritt told him to leave the property.

“I told him to f--k off … that he had behaved like an animal,” Ms Merritt told the court.

He vanished and despite a lengthy police investigation including a $250,000 reward – he has not been seen since and his body has never been found.

Rumours

The court heard there were many rumours circulating the Whitsundays about what happened to Mr Brogden.

These included that he had taken his own life and that multiple people had been involved in his death including Gavin Philip Parnell and another man, who is also charged with his murder.

Gavin Philip Parnell was arrested in New South Wales and brought back to Queensland where he was charged with Mr Brogden’s murder. A jury found him guilty and jailed him for life.

Many of the recollections heard during a seven-day murder trial were hazy and against a backdrop of drug and alcohol use.

Some of the stories came straight from Parnell, who would later be convicted of murder.

The court heard the father of seven told numerous people he was linked to the death, either overselling or underselling his role, this included telling extended family “I shot my best f--king friend”.

He also said he made up lies trying to throw blame on others as being responsible for the death, the court heard.

Explosive claims revealed

In March 2019, police arrested two men including Parnell and charged them with Mr Brogden’s murder.

Parnell met Mr Brogden about nine months before he went missing and the pair became friends, often going fishing together.

Parnell is arrested in New South Wales in 2019 and later charged with the murder of North Queensland man Jay Brogden.

He even facilitated the return of some of Mr Brogden’s property to his mother in the aftermath of his disappearance.

All the while hiding a sinister secret.

Even when he spoke to police at the time of his arrest he denied any killing.

But six months later he revealed to police what led to the death, a court heard.

He claimed another man, the drug “kingpin”, believed Mr Brogden had stolen $30,000 worth of meth and organised a fishing trip for the trio – somewhere quiet the three could talk.

In 2019 billboard went up as part of a refreshed investigation into the murder of Jay Brogden in the Whitsundays.

Parnell claimed during that fishing trip the other man – who was described as having a propensity for explosive violence – lost it, and forced him to take a homemade firearm at gunpoint.

He claimed he felt the barrel of a gun in his back as he held this makeshift gun with no trigger barrel, held together with duct tape.

It was the first time this theory had been aired

And he claimed the gun “accidentally” went off in his hand as he was shaking, petrified, as the boat was rocking and as this other man screamed “do it, do it, do it” while threatening his girlfriend and children.

Murder trial

A key issue at trial was whether or not there was a serious threat of harm or detriment to Parnell and whether or not the other man was in a position to carry it out.

And if Parnell reasonably believed he could escape this serious threat or harm without carrying out the act.

However under Queensland law this is not a defence to murder and Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane argued there was “no path” to manslaughter.

Under Queensland law Parnell must spend at least 20 years in jail before he is eligible for parole. Picture: Contributed

The Crown’s argument was clear – if the jury accepted the gun went off as an unwilled act Parnell should be acquitted.

Parnell’s defence barrister Damian Walsh asked the jury to put themselves in his client’s shoes on that day.

Ultimately after deliberating for more than five hours they found Parnell guilty of murder and he was jailed for life. He must serve at least 20 years before he is eligible for parole.

Aftermath

Mr Brogden’s family, including his mother and aunts who listened to harrowing details over seven days, wept when the verdict was delivered about 9.15pm, May 13, 2022.

The torment is not over yet for the Brogden family as a second man awaits his trial after being charged with murdering the 21 year old. Picture: Jay Brogden family

Mr Brogden’s mother, who delivered a powerful victim impact statement, said she replayed the scenario Parnell faced that day on the boat and she believed he had choices.

“As a mother the absolute desperation, despair and helplessness you feel when your child goes missing cannot be put into words,” she said.

“You had many opportunities to come forward over those years but you did not.

“You approached my family, had Jay’s belongings returned and pretended you did not know where Jay was.

Jay was last seen alive in Airlie Beach in April 2007. His body has never been found. Picture: Jay Brogden family

“For 15 years we have not been able to properly mourn the loss of Jay, bury his body or give him a place to rest.

“Instead, over those 15 years we’ve had to relive the trauma that has been brought to the forefront of our lives over and over again.

“I feel sad for you that you’ve chosen this life path, I feel sad for your own family.

“Gavin, you’ve taken Jay away from us but you can never, ever take our love for him.”

Despite this small step towards justice, the torment is not over yet – the family will have to go through it all again later this year when a second man faces his murder trial.

Originally published as Jay Brogden murder: Airlie Beach underworld exposed as killer convicted