A body has been found during a search of a rural estate for a beloved horse breeder who was allegedly murdered in a case that police are struggling to explain.
Relatives reported Leppington man Edwin Dobbin, 82, went missing in September.
An investigation to find him was launched without success.
Phillip Robert Bruce, a man who knew Mr Dobbin, allegedly gave police conflicting information about the incident several times.
Bruce, 67, was arrested at a house in the Sydney suburb of Smithfield about 2.45pm on Thursday following extensive investigations.
He was taken to Fairfield Police Station. A crime scene warrant was executed at a property in Upper Colo, in the Hawkesbury region, northwest of Sydney.
Police confirmed a body was found buried on the Upper Colo property on Friday.
Although the body has yet to be formally identified, police believe it is Mr Dobbin.
Relatives reported Leppington man Edwin Dobbin (pictured), 82, went missing in September
Phillip Robert Bruce, a man who knew Mr Dobbin, allegedly gave police conflicting information about the incident several times. Bruce, 67, was arrested at a house in the Sydney suburb of Smithfield about 2.45pm on Thursday following extensive investigations.
He was taken to Fairfield Police Station. A crime scene warrant was issued at a property in Upper Colo, northwest of Sydney, where officers discovered a body believed to be Mr Dobbin on Friday.
Bruce has been charged with murder, obstructing the investigation into a serious criminal offense of othering and unlawful disposal of bodies.
He allegedly shot Mr Dobbin on September 25, the same day he was reported missing, before allegedly disposing of his body at the rural property, court documents show.
Two missing persons appeals were made against Mr Dobbin after he was last seen in Leppington, south-west Sydney, early that day.
Police and his family said they had serious concerns for his well-being due to medical conditions requiring medication.
Police suspect that the two men knew each other.
Acting Chief Inspector Tim Calman told reporters on Friday that the family is “very, very upset” after the latest update on the search.
“Police spoke to the family yesterday and these tragic circumstances obviously leave them very distressed and Camden Police continue to work with the family to help them,” Chief Inspector Calman said.
Mr Dobbin (pictured) was a leading miniature horse breeder in Sydney and a maker of sulkies, which are lightweight carts used for harness racing
Bruce has been charged with murder, obstructing the investigation into a serious criminal offense of other and unlawful disposal of corpse
He allegedly shot Mr Dobbin on September 25, the same day he was reported missing before disposing of his body at the rural property, court documents show.
He said there is no information on a motive.
“The exact ownership details of that property are still under investigation,” Chief Inspector Calman said.
Mr Dobbin was last seen in Leppington at around 6.45am on September 25, wearing a brown and white striped shirt, a black puffer jacket, black shorts, white socks and brown shoes.
He was a leading miniature horse breeder in Sydney and a maker of sulkies, lightweight carts used for harness racing.
Bruce has also been charged with making a false statement to obstruct the investigation and with unlawful disposal of a body.
His case was briefly mentioned at Fairfield Local Court on Friday when his lawyer Thomas Skinner failed to apply for bail.
The case will return to Parramatta Local Court in December.