Bloody shirt found: Toowoomba man alleged dismembered neighbour before stealing TV, beer

A jury heard when police searched the home of a Toowoomba man accused of committing a horrific murder, officers allegedly found a T-shirt covered in the victim’s blood.

Phillip Alastair Harris to stand trial for the alleged murder of Peter Weaver which allegedly occurred in his Toowoomba home in December 2019.

The jury in the trial of a regional Queensland man accused of committing a vicious and monstrous murder heard the accused allegedly stole the victim’s television after dismembering the man and setting fire to the South Toowoomba home.

The Toowoomba Supreme Court heard murder accused Phillip Alastair Harris was a neighbour of the 63-year-old man, Peter Weaver, and on occasion returned Mr Waver’s staffy Max when he escaped the home.

Max was found with his throat cut in the home near the limbs of Mr Weaver by firefighters who responded to the Rivett St home fire on December 15, 2019.

Mr Weaver had been stabbed 23 times.

Toowoomba man Phillip Alastair Harris was charged with the murder of Peter Weaver who was found dead in a fire at his Rivett St house in 2019.

It was also alleged Mr Harris, 34, assaulted Mr Weaver months prior because he was after the man’s prescription Xanax.

The night of the fire police seized CCTV from the front of Mr Harris’s home and dashcam footage from his Ute which automatically recorded when his ute started.

The court was told it showed Mr Harris driving to and from Mr Weaver’s home on the evening of the alleged murder – which was about 100m from this home on McArthur St.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told the jury after Mr Harris allegedly dismembered Mr Weaver with a handheld circular saw, he stole the man’s television as footage captured him removing a large item from the tray of his Ute.

The jury heard inside Mr Harris shed, police found an open packet of circular saw blades which was missing the 24-tooth blade.

The circular saw found next to some of Mr Weaver’s remains had a 24-tooth blade attached, the jury heard.

8 in Rivett St on Tuesday, December 17, 2019. Picture: Kevin Farmer

It was also alleged that the footage showed Mr Harris wearing a black t-shirt – similar to one that was found on Mr Harris’s patio draped over a lantern.

Ms Friedewald told the jury during the trial they would hear forensic evidence found the shirt was stained with Mr Weaver’s blood.

The jury heard following Mr Harris’s arrest on the night of the house fire, he partook in two police interviews.

When police challenged Mr Harris’s versions of events, that he did not leave his home that evening, he told police he did set Mr Weaver’s house on fire but he did not murder the man and his dog.

“All right this is where I’m in trouble – I’ll lay it out for you,” the jury heard he said.

Mr Harris pleaded guilty to arson at the beginning of the 10 day murder trial on Tuesday, November 19, at the Toowoomba Supreme Court before Justice Thomas Bradley.

He pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Weaver, killing his dog Max, and mutilating the man’s body.