A 45-year-old man has been charged with murder following the death of a 44-year-old local man at Manly Heights Shopping Village in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called to the shopping centre on Trevally Crescent around 1:00am on 28 September after a member of the public discovered a man with critical stab wounds in the carpark. Despite the rapid response from paramedics, the man was declared deceased at the scene.
Queensland Police established a crime scene at the shopping village, which remained active throughout Sunday as forensic officers conducted their examination and detectives canvassed the neighbourhood.
Detective Inspector Wayne Francis, speaking to media on Sunday afternoon, described the incident as involving a “brutal and violent attack”. He confirmed that investigators believed the victim had been on foot prior to the assault.
The investigation took on additional complexity when officers revealed that a 45-year-old man had been taken into custody near the scene in relation to separate matters. According to police, the man allegedly fled the initial incident on foot before allegedly approaching an 18-year-old woman on Miles Crescent around 2:00am. Police allege he attempted to sexually assault the woman, who was unknown to him. A witness reportedly intervened and contacted police, leading to the man’s arrest.
The young woman received treatment at Redlands Hospital following the alleged attack.
The accused now faces multiple charges, including one count of murder, one count of assault with intent to commit rape, indecent act in any place to which the public are permitted access, and obstructing a police officer. He appeared before Cleveland Magistrates Court on Monday.
Detective Inspector Francis told reporters that determining whether the two men knew each other formed an active line of investigation. Police are also working to establish any connection between the two separate incidents.
“It is an active line of investigation for us to compare that event, for which he was taken into custody for, as well as the murder investigation,” Detective Inspector Francis said on Sunday.
Officers spent Sunday afternoon conducting door-knocks throughout Manly West, speaking with residents and requesting any available security camera footage. A substantial police presence remained in the area as detectives from both the Homicide Investigation Unit and Bayside Criminal Investigation Branch worked the case.
The shopping village, located at the corner of Trevally Crescent and Caloundra Street, houses several local businesses including a bakery, real estate agency and Indian restaurant. The centre serves as a local hub for the Manly West community.
Police have confirmed the victim was local to the Manly West area and were working to notify his family as of Sunday afternoon.
Investigators are appealing for anyone who was in the vicinity of Trevally Crescent, Radford Road or Miles Crescent between midnight and 3:00am on Sunday morning to come forward. They are particularly interested in CCTV or dashcam footage from the area during this timeframe.
Detective Inspector Francis emphasised that even footage that may seem inconsequential could prove valuable to the investigation. “You might not think it shows anything, but it could be compelling to us,” he said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Queensland Police.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Published 28-September-2025
