Man accused of triple murder and attempted murder faces trial in Townsville

The Supreme Court in Townsville opened a three-week trial on Monday for Darryl Valroy Young, who faces three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder stemming from a 2022 shooting on a remote Queensland cattle station. Prosecutors say Young used an unlicensed rifle to kill Mervyn Schwarz, Maree Schwarz and Graham Tighe, and to wound Ross Tighe, who survived a gunshot to the abdomen. Key evidence will include Ross Tighe’s eyewitness account, ballistic reports and trail-camera photos that allegedly show the cameras had been removed before the attack.

Defence counsel Anthony J Kimmins contends that Young never discussed missing cattle with Graham Tighe and that the families had recently repaired an eight-kilometre fence together, questioning the motive and suggesting other suspects may exist. The trial will also examine inconsistencies in the survivor’s injuries and the circumstances of the shooting.