A teenager, accused of killing an AFL team’s former massage therapist, will remain behind bars on remand after his case was pushed back another month.
Alexander Mark Sutton, 19, appeared briefly for the first time in Perth’s Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, one month since he was charged with the murder of Patrik Weiss.
The 45-year-old was found dead in his home in the northeastern Perth suburb of Lockridge on June 12, with Western Australia Police launching Operation Bulb to investigate.
Mr Sutton was arrested at a High Wycombe property the following week, on June 18.
On Wednesday, prosecutor James Mactaggart told the court the state needed more time for disclosure hearings, and the matter was adjourned to August 30.
Mr Sutton was remanded in custody in Hakea Prison until then.
Mr Weiss, a father of two, formerly worked as a soft tissue therapist with the West Coast Eagles, and was coach of the men’s national beach handball team.
Handball Australia released a statement in the days following Mr Weiss’ death, extending their “deepest sympathies to his young family and his parents at this heartbreaking time.”
“We greatly appreciate and value all he has contributed to developing our players and our wider community and thank his family for having supported this,” reads the statement.
“He will be very missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
In the days leading up to charges being laid, WA Police inspector Geoff DeSanges said it appeared another person had been involved in the death.
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“There are circumstances that are evident at the crime scene that give us [reason] to suspect that there was third-party involvement,” Mr DeSanges told the media.
“This does not appear to be a random incident, we don’t believe there’s any ongoing risk to the community.”
Nine News reported Mr Weiss was found with severe injuries, with his hands bound, and was wearing a blindfold.
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