Community’s horror after school captain charged with murder

There is disbelief after the former captain of a private school was charged with murder, with the accused being described as a rising footy star.

A community has expressed its shock after the former captain of a prestigious school was charged with murder. Picture: Supplied.

Friends and loved ones have expressed their horror at discovering the former captain of a prestigious South Australian private school had been charged with murder.

Former Trinity College vice-captain Marco Yandle, 19, was this week charged with the murder of 38-year-old Steven Murphy, as was his father, Keith Yandle, 46.

The charges came after Major Crime Investigation Branch detectives searched a property in Kudla, north of Adelaide, for the remains of Mr Murphy, a local dad who had been missing for several weeks.

Inspector Mark McEachern said SA Police discovered the remains buried under “a significant amount of dirt” under a shed at the property after a tip-off.

If found guilty, the young former school leader faces the possibility of life behind bars.

His father, Keith, is the first person in South Australia to be charged with concealing human remains and faces up to 15 years in jail on top of any sentence for murder.

Former Trinity College vice-captain Marco Yandle has been charged with murder after the body of a man was found buried at his home. Picture: Facebook

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Community members expressed their shock as the Yandles are due to face court.

When Maisen McInerney, Marco’s former shift supervisor at a local pizza restaurant, saw his baby-faced ex-colleague in the headlines, he said he was in disbelief.

“I saw it on the news and when they said it was Marco Yandle, I just thought ‘No way, that’s ridiculous,’” Mr McInerney told The Advertiser.

The pair worked together at South Gawler Dominos in Adelaide for about six months. Mr McInerney said Marco was the kind of kid with whom he was happy to share a shift.

“I was always happy because I thought I’ve got a good delivery driver and someone who also knows how to run the store as well,” he said.

The community expressed shock at the charges. Picture: Facebook

Marco was described as a rising footy star. Picture: Facebook

Cosie Costa, president of the South Gawler Football Club, where Marco was a strong player and a runner-up for best and fairest, said the news had “hit (the club) hard.”

“I don’t think he’d missed a session, he was an integral part of our future,” Mr Costa told the publication.

“We’re a strong family at our community based club and this news has hit us really hard … Our focus is now on our club and all those who were associated with Marco. We are in the process of putting together a program to support them.”

Mr Costa said Marco was training at the club last Tuesday.

Less than six months ago, the 19-year-old was awarded runner-up in the Reserves best and fairest in a team that went on to win a premiership in the Barossa Light and Gawler Football League.

Neighbours said many properties were searched in the effort to find Mr Murphy. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

One neighbour adjacent to the Yandles’ home told The Advertiser his property was among “many” that had been searched by officers in the effort to locate Mr Murphy.

It was alleged a “credible” tip-off to police led detectives to a shed at the Ormsby Road property. During a search on Monday, police allegedly found 20 cannabis plants being hydroponically grown, along with a .22 rifle and ammunition.

Speaking at the time, Det Insp McEachern said police believed the body had been inside the bunker for “up to six weeks”.

Police charged Marco’s father Keith with firearms offences before their attention turned to a “gravesite” on the property. Picture: 7 NEWS

Nick Hately, Head of Trinity College in Gawler, said the school was shocked at the allegations against Marco, confirming the accused was a “recent student leader”.

“Many in our community are in shock, trying to process what has been alleged to have happened,” he said in a statement.

The last confirmed sighting of Mr Murphy was on Wednesday, February 15.

The young dad’s final days and how he came to be at the Yandles’ property are now a matter for the courts, but many from the area said they were aware Mr Murphy was doing it tough.

He was reportedly sleeping rough in a swag at various locations and struggling to make ends meet after the breakdown of a relationship with his partner.

Mr Murphy was reportedly doing it tough in the weeks before his death. Picture: SA Police

Marco and his father are before the courts. Picture: Facebook

Friend and ex-workmate Steven Millowick told The Advertiser he last had contact with Mr Murphy in January, and “knew he was down in the dumps because he wasn’t seeing his kids.”

“I reached out to him,” Mr Millowick told the publication.

“I sent him a couple of text messages and got no reply.”

Mr Millowick said even despite the discovery of the remains, he held out hope it wasn’t Mr Murphy — but by Thursday, his worst fears had been confirmed.

“It hit home really hard, any hope I had was just crushed and that realisation that I was never going to see him again,” Mr Millowick said.

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