Accused Cowandilla murderer Kristopher Robert Steele flags mental health defence after appearing in court via telephone from Royal Adelaide Hospital bed

A local 32-year-old can be named as the man accused of murdering a 60-year-old whose body was found amid chaotic scenes in Adelaide on Tuesday.

The man accused of murder after a body was discovered in a home in Adelaide’s west on Tuesday has flagged a mental health defence in a hospital bedside court hearing.

Appearing in the Adelaide Magistrates Court via telephone from the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, Kristopher Robert Steele, 32, from Cowandilla, spoke only once during the brief hearing.

Mr Steele has been charged with one count of murder after the body of a 60-year-old man was found at an address in Cowandilla on Tuesday morning.

A police officer, who was next to Mr Steele’s bed in hospital, said the 32-year-old was “a bit out of it” at the beginning of the hearing.

“I’ll just wake him up again,” the officer said.

A duty solicitor, for Mr Steele, then told Magistrate Luke Davis his client would not be applying for bail, but asked his client be remanded under a mental health order - flagging a mental health incompetence defence.

“We are asking for a section 269x remand order to be made at this stage,” the lawyer said.

This form of detention is ordered when there are investigations to be conducted into a defendant’s mental competence.

Prosecutors did not oppose the application.

The Cowandilla home where police found the body of a 60-year-old man. Picture: NewsWire / Dean Martin

A 32-year-old Cowandilla man has been charged with the older man’s murder. Picture: NewsWire / Dean Martin

“Do you understand that?” Mr Davis asked him.

“Your lawyer will speak to you later.”

“Yep, no worries,” Mr Steele said.

The murder charge came after police were called to a series of alarm activations at Torrensville businesses on Henley Beach Rd about 12.30am Tuesday.

Police arrived to find several businesses had been broken into with windows smashed.

Officers say they found the Mr Steele at the scene with a leg injury, allegedly sustained during the break-ins.

Police could be seen removing brown paper bags of evidence and the road was blocked off as investigations continued.

Mr Steele was remanded in custody to face court again in April.

Originally published as Accused Cowandilla murderer Kristopher Robert Steele flags mental health defence after appearing in court via telephone from Royal Adelaide Hospital bed