|
 |
Donny Ryder, a 33-year old Aboriginal man who was bashed to death in Alice Springs on July 25. Five young white men have been charged with his murder. |
Five men charged over Alice Springs murder
ISSUE 183 - 07 Aug 2009
NATIONAL
ISSUE 183, August 6, 2009: Five young men aged between 19 and 24 faced court on Tuesday morning charged with bashing to death an Aboriginal man in Alice Springs last week.
Donny Ryder, aged 33, was killed early on the morning of July 25 while walking home along Schwarz Crescent.
Police had sought a white 4WD vehicle containing five young men which witnesses say stopped beside Mr Ryder, shortly before his death.
Several of the men are alleged to have alighted from the vehicle and assaulted Mr Ryder with a weapon, before fleeing the scene.
Mr Ryder died as a result of a large wound inflicted to the back of his head.
He was reportedly walking home to a house he shared with his mother and brother when the attack occurred.
The young men facing charges are all white Alice Springs locals, although police maintained yesterday that the attack was not racially motivated.
Shortly before the death the vehicle had been seen by witnesses allegedly harassing and driving through Aboriginal itinerant camps on the dry Todd River bed.
All five men yesterday faced one count of murder, and at least seven counts of recklessly endangering life over the incidents at the itinerant camps. The young men are:
• John Scott Doody, facing one charge of Murder, seven charges of Recklessly endangering life, one charge of Unlawfully causing serious harm, and one charge of Possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon.
• Timothy James Hird, facing one charge of Murder, seven charges of Recklessly endangering life, one charge of Unlawfully causing serious harm, and one charge of Possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon.
• Anton Thomas Kloeden, facing one charge of Murder, nine charges of Recklessly endangering life, one charge of Unlawfully causing serious harm, and one charge of Possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon.
• Joshua Ben Spears, facing one charge of Murder, nine charges of Recklessly endangering life, one charge of Unlawfully causing serious harm, and one charge of Possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon; and
• Glen Anthony Swain, facing one charge of Murder, nine charges of Recklessly endangering life, one charge of Unlawfully causing serious harm, and one charge of Possess, use or carry a prohibited weapon.
None of the accused applied for bail, and they were all remanded in custody to reappear in court on today (Thursday).
Alice Springs is reportedly on edge, awaiting the facts surrounding the death to emerge.
It follows the fatal stabbing of a white man by an Aboriginal man several months ago.
Mr Ryder's brother, Lionel Buzzacott, told ABC Radio in Alice Springs that his brother was a gentle man who avoided violence.
"He'd never go around threatening people or ... abusing people," Mr Buzzacott said.
"He was the type of person that when someone did talk out of line to him he would walk away .. I know my brother, I grew up with him."
Mr Buzzacott said his brother was training to be a ranger at Trephina Gorge as part of its hand back to traditional custodians.
"I had his back and he always had mine but this time I wasn't there to back him up," he said.
NIT will bring updates on this story as they come to hand.
•SEE ALSO: 'Cutting through in a town like Alice'
 
|
|