The moment when a “gentle” and “amazing” father of two was held in the spotlight and fatally shot “in cold blood” was captured on video, a court has heard.
On Tuesday, former private school captain Marco Anthony Yandle, 19, and his father Keith Russell Yandle, 46, stood before Adelaide Magistrates Court, charged with the murder of Steve Murphy.
The father-son duo were arrested last week after police received a tip about the location of Mr Murphy’s remains and searched a house in Kudla, about 46km north of Adelaide.
Magistrate Justin Wickens learned on Tuesday that prosecutors had obtained CCTV footage of the barn where Mr Murphy was allegedly shot – footage that allegedly showed him defenseless and alone.
Prosecutors allege that Keith and Marco equipped themselves with an illegal firearm and bat on the night of Feb.
19 after they suspected an intruder was on the property.
Marco Yandle, 19, (pictured) has been charged with murder
Keith Russell Yandle, 46 (pictured), is also charged with murder
Steve Murphy (pictured) was found dead in a bunker on a remote farm
The father and son then allegedly emptied Mr Murphy’s pockets before Keith Yandle allegedly shot him in the head.
The alleged footage shows that a first shot was fired into a shed 60 yards away from the main building on the grounds in Kudla – what the defense described as a ‘warning shot’ – before Mr Murphy was discovered ‘crouched in the corner’.
Marco reportedly held a torch over Mr. Murphy, lighting him up as his father pulled the trigger.
The court heard that there was a 10 to 15 minute gap between the warning shot that was fired and the shot that would have killed Mr. Murphy.
Prosecutor Lucy Boord KC said the footage showed Murphy’s “cold-blooded execution” after the two suspects had already determined he was “defenseless.”
“What some of those images show, for now, amounts to a cold-blooded execution of an unarmed, vulnerable, defenseless man,” Ms Boord told the court.
“The firearm is reportedly held and fired by (Keith), but (Marco) stands and illuminates the victim with a flashlight as he is shot by his father.”
Mr. Wickens asked if Marco’s help was needed in the alleged murder, to which Mrs. Boord said he volunteered.
Lifelong friends of Mr Murphy (pictured) said out of court that their former Kadina High School friend was an avid motorcycle enthusiast who was just trying to be close to his kids
The father-son duo were arrested last week after police received a tip about the location of Mr Murphy’s remains and searched a house in Kudla, about 46km north of Adelaide.
Prosecutors allege Keith and Marco equipped themselves with an illegal firearm and bat on the night of Feb. 19 after they suspected an intruder was on the property (pictured)
“I don’t think it was essential, but he was certainly there, willing to lend his aid and relieve the victim the moment the shots were fired.”
Marco Yandle’s counsel, Sean Nottle, said his client was simply investigating an intruder on his property with his father and argued that he was a suitable candidate for bail.
“These two men went to their shed in the first place to face an intruder,” Mr. Nottle said.
It becomes a real question for the director to determine how (Marco) Yandle helped and aided, or is party to some kind of joint venture in which the possibility or the foresight of the actions that have taken place on a large scale in the hands of his father.
“It is clear from the footage that at the moment the shots are fired, Mr.
Yandle senior is working with Mr. Yandle junior to leave the shed, and he does. (Marco) Yandle’s full commitment is to be there, to light up the scene.’
“And be willing to lend a hand?” asked Mr. Wickens.
“There is no suggestion that he indeed lent a hand in relation to anything committed against the deceased,” replied Mr. Nottle.
Mr Nottle said it would be up to the DPP to prove whether Marco would have helped his father, if asked.
Lifelong friends of Mr. Murphy told NCA NewsWire out of court that their former Kadina High School friend was an avid motorcycle enthusiast who was just trying to be close to his kids.
“He was a ratbag who could instantly melt you with those eyes,” they said.
“Steve was a quiet, gentle soul who did an amazing job raising his children.
“He lived rough and crouched to try to be close to his kids.
“He will always have a special sport in my heart, and I will always remember the good times we had together.”
Marco Yandle (pictured) is said to have held the torch over Mr Murphy when he was killed, a court heard
Supporters of Marco (pictured) were silent in the courtroom, but were hostile to the media outside
Mr Murphy’s former partner, Danielle Rogers, took to Facebook to share her grief, saying the hardest part was having to tell his children about his passing.
“The hardest part of all of this was telling my boys that their dad is no longer with us,” she wrote.
“We just lost a big part of us.”
Supporters of Marco were silent in court, but were hostile to the media outside.
Mr Wickens rejected Marco’s request for bail because of the ‘seriousness of the crime’ and the risk that he would interfere with witnesses.
Both Keith and Marco remain behind bars to face court again in October.