- Nicholas Reeves, 74, found dead and his wife severely injured
- Frederick Steel Sayers, 26, was arrested and charged
- READ MORE: Gardener is charged with murder
A man accused of murdering an elderly man and severely injuring his wife following a gardening dispute is a failed plumber.
Nicholas Reeves, 74, was found dead and his wife Suzanne Reeves, 71, was raced to hospital with serious head injuries following an incident at their home in Burpengary East, north of Brisbane, at about 9.20am on Thursday.
Police arrived at the property following a request for a welfare check.
Frederick Steel Sayers, 26, was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder.
He had been hired by a neighbour and do gardening work on both properties and was uninjured when police arrived.
A man who raced to help the elderly couple told the Courier-Mail he saw a pickaxe on the ground and investigators told him not to go near it.
Pictured: Frederick Steel Sayers, 26, who is accused of murdering an elderly man and attempting to murder his wife
Sayers (pictured) was hired to do gardening work on two properties on Thursday
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Sayers is a father-of-one and has worked as an apprentice plumber and a tree lopper.
According to one of his many Facebook profiles, he liked ‘climbing trees and racking leaves’.
The profile also said: ‘Hot sl*ts and good drugs is what keeps you young at heart.’
Mr Reeves was declared dead at the scene and paramedics helped Mrs Reeves onto a stretcher.
Sayers was not able to apply for bail in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Friday due to the nature of the charges.
His lawyer Brendan Wheelan asked for a three-month adjournment because the brief of evidence was so large.
His matter will return to court on July 26.
Nicholas Reeves, aged in his 70s, was declared dead at the scene. Suzanne Reeves (pictured right) is in a critical condition in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Pictured: Police and investigators at the scene of the alleged murder on Friday
Detective Inspector David Harbison said the crime scene was ‘incredibly traumatic’ and police were investigating the situation.
‘Unfortunately, the victims have been severely injured, one fatally,’ Detective Inspector David Harbison said.
‘Police are still investigating if an implement or weapons were used in this incident … we don’t have the full facts yet.’
Neighbours John and Julie Roscarel said the Reeves’ had three daughters and had lived on the street for about 30 years.
‘They are lovely community people,’ Mr Roscarel said.
‘We’d always give them a wave.’
Another neighbour said the couple always had their gardening done on Thursdays.
Police seized a number of tools from the property during extensive investigations on Thursday.
Pictured: Police officers during an investigation at the crime scene on Friday
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk