Police take man with camouflage face paint into custody after suspicious Tassie death

A frantic search of rugged bushland for an alleged knife-wielding man with camouflage paint on his face has come to an end.

Police used a drone to find Robert Gerard after the man disappeared into the bush on Wednesday. Picture: Handout via NCA NewsWire

A man who sparked a wide-scale search through rugged bushland, following the suspicious death of a man in a remote part of Tasmania, has been taken into custody.

Emergency crews found the body of a 69-year-old man when they were called to a property on Larcombes Road in Reedy Marsh about 6pm on Tuesday.

The man’s wife was taken to hospital for lacerations. Acting Commander Stuart Wilkinson said she had since been released.

Two men, aged 39 and 44 from Launceston, and a woman, aged 28, also from Launceston, were in police custody and assisting with inquiries. They were subsequently released.

Another man, Robert Gerard, 47, was spotted by a drone about 4pm Wednesday.

Police took 47-year-old Robert Gerard into custody after 4pm on Wednesday. Picture: Picture: Helen Kempton

“One of the drones identified (Mr Gerard), he then got mobile, but we were able to relay his location to our members and they were able to take him into custody from there,” Acting Commander Wilkinson said.

“The drone operators observed him appearing to move towards an outbuilding and he obviously was aware he had been seen and he then made movement back toward bushland.”

A “significant” number of police were called in, as well as specialist members of the force, to help with the frantic two day search.

Local residents were warned to make sure their properties are secure and to call police “immediately” if they notice a man acting suspiciously in the area.

Several left their homes despite acting Commander Wilkinson saying officers did not believe there is any direct threat to the community.

Mr Gerard was last seen at a residence near Parkham, allegedly armed with a knife, on Wednesday morning before his arrest later that afternoon.

Residents were asked to secure their properties as police launched a search for the man. Picture: Helen Kempton

Acting Commander Wilkinson would not elaborate on any motive for the man’s death.

A Westpac rescue helicopter and drone technology were used to help search for Mr Gerard, while CIB and forensics officers were called to the house.

Police are combing the scene, and investigations are “expected to take some time”.