Man, woman charged with murder after alleged torture victim dies in hospital

A man and woman have been charged with murder after a 23-year-old man died in hospital after he was allegedly assaulted “over a reasonably prolonged period” at a property north of Brisbane.

The 23-year-old Eagle Farm man was allegedly found partially buried alive and unconscious with critical head injuries when police were called to a rural property in Mclean Road at Mount Mee at about 8.30pm on Wednesday to reports of an assault.

Detective Acting Inspector Joe Zitny today said the man had suffered multiple significant injuries to his body, and that the “injuries occurred over a reasonably prolonged period of time”.

The man was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where he died from his injuries on Friday night.

The man was allegedly found out the front of a house on the property.

A 21-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man, who were found in the house near where the victim was found injured, have been charged with offences including murder, torture, common assault, deprivation of liberty, grievous bodily harm and other offences.

Zitny said it appeared the woman had called Triple Zero, with the pair having lived at the property for between four to eight weeks.

He said a post-mortem on Tuesday would determine the man’s cause of death, while the property was still an active crime scene days later, with divers searching a dam for evidence.

Zitny said the pair accused of the man’s murder were known to the man, but the alleged crimes were not related to family violence or a domestic relationship.

He confirmed drugs were a line of inquiry in police establishing connections between the victim and the pair.

He called for anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

The 21-year-old woman remains remanded in custody and is due to reappear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on May 7.

The 23-year-old man remains remanded in custody and is due to reappear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on July 4.