A young father spent just three days with his newborn son before he was reportedly shot and killed by his gun-wielding neighbor over a long-standing dispute over a fence, a relative said.
Graham Tighe, 35, was reportedly shot to death at 9 a.m. Thursday alongside his mother Maree Schwarz and stepfather Mervyn Schwarz, 71, on the boundary of their property in Bogie, in the Whitsundays region of northern Queensland.
Mr Tighe’s younger brother, Ross Tighe, in his thirties, was also shot in the stomach, but managed to escape and drive 40km to get help – while drenched in blood.
Police have taken 59-year-old Darryl Young into custody. He was charged with three murders Friday night.
Greg Austen, Mrs Schwarz’s brother-in-law, told the Daily Mail Australia that shortly after his birth, Graham Tighe’s son was hospitalized three weeks ago in Brisbane, 1,000 km south of Bogie, ‘because he was a con man’. He was released this week.
The little boy spent just three precious days with his father before the deadly shooting, Mr Austen said.
Pictured: Graham Tighe and his pregnant wife, before their son was born three weeks ago
Graham Tighe (pictured) leaves behind a young family, including a little boy who was recently ill, and his toddler daughter
“I think Graham was only with his son about three days,” Mr. Austen said.
“He’s the first boy born to bear the Tighe family name.”
On July 11, Tighe’s wife wrote a gushing social media post introducing their newborn to family friends – their toddler sat next to her new brother and beamed at the camera.
“Congratulations guys, so happy to have your beautiful family of four,” a friend wrote in the comments.
Police allege Young invited the family to meet him early Thursday at the border of their farms on Wednesday night.
However, he is said to have pulled a gun and shot all four members of the Schwarz-Tighe family, leaving Ross with a gunshot wound to the stomach.
Ross Tighe, pictured with his partner Kaitlyn, is recovering in hospital after reportedly being shot in the stomach
Maree and Mervyn Schwarz died of gunshot wounds, along with Maree’s son Graham Tighe.
Despite his injuries, Ross Tighe miraculously escaped by jumping into a car and driving 25 miles to another property to alert the police.
Police rushed to the small rural town in search of the three other alleged victims and the gunman.
Queensland Police closed the area after his call and found the three family members dead on the Shannonvale Road site a few hours later.
Mr Austen, Mrs Schwarz’s brother-in-law, told Daily Mail Australia that neighbors were arguing over where the border point between their two farms should be.
Graham Tighe bought the property in May last year with his mother and stepfather. He is pictured at a wedding
“It was a dispute over the fence and it has been going on for many years,” he said.
“How it happened at this time is beyond me. It’s not America.’
Ross Tighe, who has a one-year-old daughter with partner Kaitlyn, was flown to Mackay Hospital in critical condition, where he was rushed to emergency surgery.
He was in stable condition in intensive care and could be questioned by the police on Thursday evening.
Mr Austen said he was shocked at how the feud reportedly escalated as he paid tribute to his community-minded loved ones.
“When we first heard that something had happened, we thought they were playing dumb bastards in Collinsville, but we didn’t realize the outcome was that serious,” he said.
“They were an honest Christian family. It was a bush family working seven days a week drinking beer on Sundays, participating in events, very community oriented and respected in the community.”
“Just a normal Australian family.”
Maree Schwarz’s brother-in-law Greg Austen said Ross (pictured) is a strong man
People living around the Bogie region started leaving flowers at the property on Friday morning (pictured)
Pictured: One of the Schwarz-Tighe family properties, located on Sutherland Road
Mr Austen said his nephew showed incredible courage.
“Ross has two girls, but he’s fine. I haven’t spoken to him yet, because he’s about three hours away, but we’re going there,’ he said.
“Ross is a very strong young man.
“To witness what unfolded before him and then be able to walk back to the car shows real resilience, and I’m sure he won’t forget it for the rest of his life.”
Acting Superintendent Tom Armitt said the man arrested was a “longtime resident of the area.”
“He remains in our custody and we expect to file criminal charges in connection with the case sometime later this afternoon,” he said.
Police have released four of the five people detained on Thursday evening to help with their investigation.
Supported Armitt said two of those individuals were involved with an energy company, and after getting statements from them, they were released.
He said the three others were the 59-year-old man, his son and another female relative, who have also since been released.
Police said the lone survivor was in a “deeply distressed condition” when he initially spoke to officers, leading to confusion as police tried to restrict the area where the alleged shooting took place.
The family didn’t buy the huge 300-square-mile tract of land for $10 million until May 2021, which is destined for livestock grazing, ranching and farming.
The purchase – which was made by Mr. and Mrs. Schwarz, along with Graham Tighe, netted the previous owners a profit of nearly $7 million after holding the property for just three years.
Ownership records indicate that in December 2003, Mr. Schwarz and Ms. Schwarz, who was then Ms. Tighe, purchased a $1.8 million cattle ranch in Mount Abundance, Maranoa Region.
The couple married sometime over the next eight years before going into business with Graham to purchase a grazing plot for Bogie cattle in October 2011.
Maree Schwarz, who died Thursday morning, is pictured with one of her grandchildren
In the photo: the entrance to the Schwartz-Tighe estate on Friday morning. Flowers could be seen at the gate
Five years later, the trio bought a $2.6 million farm, with land use for raising sheep or growing grains, in The Gums, west of Tara in the Western Downs region.
Ross Tighe had his second child 18 months ago. At the time, his doting mother shared a photo online of herself cradling her newborn grandchild with a beaming smile on her face.
Forensic specialists return to the scenes Friday morning to further investigate the regions for clues.
Police revealed on Thursday afternoon that the rugged terrain was difficult to access and would present further challenges in the course of the investigation.
Ross Tighe was rushed to hospital on Thursday after driving 25 miles with a gunshot wound (scene pictured)
The tragedy has shaken the small farming town, which is home to just over 200 people.
As the community spread over a shooting, several of Ms. Schwarz’s friends reached out to her via social media to wish her well.
“Hope they are all safe,” a friend wrote on the post, tagging Ms. Schwarz in her post.
Whitsunday Regional Councilor Jan Clifford said ‘everyone knows everyone’ in their ‘little village’, adding that the community would be ‘devastated’.
“To my knowledge, nothing like this has ever happened in the Whitsunday region before.
“We are all deeply saddened by the tragedy.”