DNA Testing to Take Three Months in Melbourne Stepfather Murder Case
Quick Look
- Two brothers, Connor and Liam Harnett, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court charged with the murder of their stepfather, Andre Szep.
- DNA and forensic testing are expected to take up to three months, with investigators still seeking missing evidence.
- The alleged assault occurred in front of parents and students at Strathaird Primary School.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Two brothers are accused of murdering their stepfather outside a primary school in Melbourne. The victim died after a week in hospital following the alleged assault.
DNA testing in the investigation of two brothers accused of murdering their stepfather outside a primary school in Melbourne's south-east could take up to three months, a court has heard.
Connor Harnett, 21, and Liam Harnett, 22, allegedly bashed Andre Szep, 63, so badly in front of parents and students of Strathaird Primary School in Narre Warren South last month that he remained in hospital for a week with critical injuries before he died.
Both brothers were initially charged with recklessly causing serious injury and remanded while Mr Szep, of Clyde, was hospitalised, but those charges have since been upgraded to murder.
Appearing briefly in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court via video link from custody this morning, Connor Harnett sat with his hands clasped and shook his head as the prosecution described Mr Szep's death as "a tragic murder".
The court heard police needed up to three months to complete DNA and forensic testing, and that investigators were still looking for missing physical evidence.
The exact nature of that evidence remains unclear.
Dressed in a dark green jumper with a mullet and a tattoo on his right hand, Connor Harnett listened intently to the proceedings and could be seen repeatedly shaking his head throughout the hearing.
Magistrate Stephen Ballek instructed police to provide a summary of their prospective DNA evidence within the next week, while the court heard investigators were still waiting for the results of a post-mortem.
Liam Harnett also briefly appeared via video link before the court in a separate hearing.
Dressed in a khaki bomber jacket, he sat and looked directly ahead as Magistrate Ballek repeated the same instructions to prosecutors heard in his brother's hearing.
Many parents and students are believed to have witnessed the alleged killing during afternoon pick-up at Strathaird Primary School about 3:15pm on June 12.
It is understood Mr Szep was allegedly beaten with an object.
The Harnett brothers will return to court for a committal hearing on November 11.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Police to provide summary of DNA evidence within a week.
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What is the exact nature of the missing physical evidence?
- What was the object used in the alleged assault?
- What are the results of the post-mortem examination?