April 3, 2024
Well-known Kingaroy businessman Gavin Pates, 38, has been charged with manslaughter over an incident at Booie last month which led to the death of 21-year-old Nanango resident Blayde Barber.
Initially, it was reported Mr Barber’s death was the result of a traffic crash but police have now revealed he had been shot.
The original police statement at the time said a 21-year-old Nanango man arrived at the private property about 11:30pm on March 21.
While he was leaving, his vehicle struck a fence pole.
Emergency services found him unconscious and trapped inside his vehicle, a 2005 Hyundai Sonata.
CPR was begun and Mr Barber was transported by ambulance to Kingaroy Hospital where he later died.
A second man, believed to have been a passenger, fled the crashed vehicle before police and emergency services arrived.
The original police statement said the dead man was not known to the occupants of the property.
It will be alleged Pates was one of the people present at the property when the incident occurred.
Police investigated the circumstances leading up to Mr Barber’s death under Operation Whiskey Quinta.
Pates appeared briefly in Murgon Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning charged with manslaughter and insecure storage of weapons.
The matter was adjourned until Wednesday afternoon for a bail hearing.
UPDATE: Pates was granted bail when he reappeared in Murgon Court on Wednesday afternoon. The charges will be mentioned in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on June 28.
UPDATE June 28: The charges were mentioned in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on June 28 and adjourned until September 6, 2024.
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