Man dies after alleged altercation with housemate

UPDATE: A man charged over the death of his housemate after an argument at their Brisbane home may have a case for self defence.

Murarrie Man charged with one punch killing CH 9 Frame grab

A MAN charged over the death of his housemate after an altercation at their Brisbane home may have a case for self defence, a court has heard.

Aaron Llewellyn Jones, 28, sat in the Brisbane Magistrates Court dock this morning with his arms crossed as his distraught family looked on.

He has been in custody since officers found a 30-year-old man unconscious at the back of a Murarrie house following an alleged dispute between the two housemates shortly before midnight on Sunday.

Legal Aid lawyer Tim Clements applied for bail on Jones’ behalf and told the court there were “issues of self defence”.

“(Jones) played perhaps a role that can be described as pacifier,” he added.

He said Jones “was not the aggressor”.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Leanne O’Shea said she wanted a mental health professional to assess Jones, who has no criminal history, in the wake of such a traumatic event.

She adjourned the bail hearing until tomorrow.

‘HE WAS VOMITING PRETTY BADLY’

A man charged over the death of his housemate desperately tried to revive him and then fell to his knees when confronted by police at their Brisbane home.

Officers found a 30-year-old man unconscious at the back of the Murarrie house following an alleged dispute between the two housemates shortly before midnight on Saturday.

A 28-year-old man, who was allegedly involved in the fight, phoned emergency services and performed CPR on his friend until they arrived.

The victim's family talking to police. Picture: Tara Croser.

Paramedics then continued attempts to revive the man, but he died at the scene.

Residents described how the shirtless and heavily-­tattooed man vomited and slumped to the ground with his hands over his head outside his home when officers emerged from the crime scene.

The man was taken into custody and charged yesterday morning with one count of manslaughter after receiving treatment for minor injuries allegedly sustained during the fight.

“He was standing up against the police car and then as they came out he’s just gone down to his knees. It’s just sunk in,” neighbour Luke Sommers said.

“He was vomiting at one stage pretty badly.”

Family of the victim arrived at the home yesterday morning and were visibly ­distraught while they spoke briefly with police.

It is understood the two men were renting the bottom level of the two-storey property from the homeowner, who lived upstairs.

Police yesterday could not confirm what led to the fight but said the pair had been drinking on Saturday night.

They said a woman, believed to be the alleged offender’s girlfriend, was the only other person present at the time of the altercation.

It is understood the older man became unconscious during the scuffle, although his exact cause of death was not known. No weapon was believed to have been used.

Detectives went door-to-door before 8am yesterday speaking to neighbours, many of whom were waking to Easter celebrations.

Mr Sommers said he told police he heard a man screaming out before they ­arrived.

“I heard a man’s voice. It was yelling but I couldn’t make out what was said. Then 20 minutes later the police were here,” he said.

Other residents said the area had been quiet before ­sirens began blaring in the street, which was largely ­deserted over the Easter weekend.

The alleged offender is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

Originally published as Man dies after alleged altercation with housemate