A jealous teenager accused of killing his ex-girlfriend's father before punching her in the face during a stormy break-up has been denied bail in a Queensland court.
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Tynan Ignacio Vital, 19, was charged with murdering David Murphy, 49, who died on October 19 during a roadside fight following a car chase.
Vital isn't accused of delivering the fatal blow that killed Mr Murphy. His friend Ethan Macpherson allegedly struck the man, Brisbane Supreme Court heard on Tuesday.
It followed an evening of "lingering" outside Julie Murphy's apartment despite being asked to leave multiple times.
When Vital climbed on the roof and repeatedly knocked on her door, Ms Murphy, 20, called her father for help, crown prosecutor Erin Kelly said.
"This incident occurred in the context of increasing violence (by Vital) toward Ms Murphy ... over the previous few months," she said.
"He had previously been told by her father ... to go away and leave her alone."
The court heard after arriving at his daughter's home, Mr Murphy and two men chased Vital and Macpherson in a car before Vital pulled his white ute to the side of the road.
It's alleged Macpherson then got out of the ute and struck Mr Murphy in the head with a pistol or shotgun.
Defence lawyer Angus Edwards said Vital didn't know his friend had a gun and didn't know Mr Murphy had been fatally struck.
He said the Crown's case against his client was weak because Vital was "in the middle of being assaulted" through the open car window by another man when Mr Murphy was hit.
The court heard that during this beating Vital wound up his window, trapping the man's fingers before reversing the car 15 metres with the man in tow.
He then lowered the window releasing the man, whereupon the beating continued.
Mr Edwards said it was evidence Vital had been trying to avoid a confrontation.
But the court heard Vital and Macpherson later attacked the man for a protracted period of time after he fell to the ground.
They also failed to help Mr Murphy after he was struck, Ms Kelly said.
Instead, the pair returned to Ms Murphy's apartment, where Vital allegedly punched his ex-girlfriend in the head two to three times and stole her mobile phone.
Justice Peter Davis said although Vital's was "not an open and shut case for murder" and events of the night were murky, Vital's alleged behaviour had been erratic and violent following a stormy relationship.
He dismissed the bail application.
Outside court, Cinamon Murphy said her husband was a good man protecting his family.
"We're hoping for an outcome that brings him the justice he deserves," she said.
Australian Associated Press
