A son who travelled to the Clarence Valley to sort out his late father’s estate was found dead at the same Gurranang property just 15 days later, and a neighbour has now been charged with murdering both men.
The body of the 79-year-old father was found inside a home on Summerland Way at Gurranang, about 25km north of Grafton, at about 3pm on Sunday, 13 September.
Officers from Coffs/Clarence Police District set up a crime scene and began investigating his death.
His 59-year-old son had travelled to NSW from interstate to help police with their inquiries and to deal with his father’s estate.
“Unfortunately, he returned to that premises where he was set upon by the neighbour and sustained fatal injuries,” said Homicide Squad Commander Joe Doueihi.
Police went back to the property at about 3.40pm on Monday to make further inquiries into the father’s death.
Instead, they found the body of a man inside a shed. He is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be the 59-year-old son.
Superintendent Joanne Schultz earlier described the discovery as “extremely confronting”, saying officers had not expected to find another body at the property.
Detectives, with help from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad, set up Strike Force Faneel to investigate both deaths.
At about 12.20pm on Tuesday, strike force detectives arrested 32-year-old Nicholas Marsden Scott at Grafton Hospital, where he had gone for a medical condition.
He was taken to Grafton Police Station and charged with two counts of murder and stealing a motor vehicle.
Mr Scott appeared in court by audiovisual link on Wednesday. He did not apply for bail and was formally refused.
He is due to return to Grafton Local Court on Tuesday, 8 December.
Inquiries under Strike Force Faneel are continuing.
“The fact that two murders in a short period of time of two unfortunate family members occurred at one location, it’s absolutely shocking for that family and for that community,” Commander Doueihi said.
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