Brittney Jade Dwyer, 19, to be extradited to SA in relation to her grandfather’s murder

A QUEENSLAND teen and her 21-year-old friend will be extradited to South Australia over the alleged murder of the younger woman’s grandfather.

Robert Whitwell was found dead in his Craigmore unit on August 8.

A QUEENSLAND teenager and her 21-year-old friend will be extradited to South Australia to be charged with the murder of the younger woman’s “kind and gentle” grandfather.

Brittney Jade Dwyer, 19, and mother-of-one Bernadette Burns, 21, are alleged to have killed Dwyer’s 81-year-old grandfather Robert Whitwell in his Adelaide home more than three weeks ago.

Neighbours of Mr Whitwell’s in the northern Adelaide suburb of Craigmore made the gruesome discovery about 11.30am on Monday, August 8, when the elderly man failed to collect his newspaper from his driveway.

Police at the time described his death as shocking and said there were several unexplained factors in the apparent crime, including that his front door was unlocked when his body was found.

Dwyer and Burns had been visiting South Australia when Mr Whitwell died.

Forensic testing led police to the Queensland city of Redbank Plains, about 30km south west of Brisbane, on Friday, where Dwyer and Burns were arrested.

The pair appeared separately in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday morning, where an extradition request by South Australian police was granted by Magistrate Barry Cosgrove.

The pair are expected to return to South Australia under police guard on Monday afternoon, where they will be formally charged with Mr Whitwell’s murder and front court on Tuesday.

Shocked neighbours of the elderly man told Adelaide’s Sunday Mail he was a “lovely man and real gentleman” who meticulously maintained his garden and would often bring their bins in for them.

“He was a very independent man who would keep his garden looking lovely,” neighbour Paula Elsworthy said.

“He had a great sense of humour, he always had a story to tell, a yarn.”

Mr Whitwell’s brother broke down in tears when told of the arrests.

“You couldn’t ask for a better brother,” he told the Sunday Mail.

Officers from the SA Police Major Crime Investigation Branch and Elizabeth CIB travelled to Queensland as a result.

South Australian Police Major Crime Branch Detective Inspector Greg Hutchins said Mr Whitwell’s family was advised of the arrests on Friday.

“They are obviously devastated by this development,” he said.

“At this time police are not able to elaborate further on the cause of death, or what factors in the case were initially considered ‘unexplained’. These factors are central to the ongoing investigation.”