Warning: This story contains the name and images of a deceased Indigenous person.
A trial has revealed that a man charged with the murder of 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy Cassius Turvey was “hunting for kids with a metal pole.” Following an attack on Cassius in Perth on October 13, 2022, he succumbed to his injuries ten days later. Prosecutor Ben Stanwix described how the accused—Jack Steven James Brearley, Brodie Lee Palmer, Mitchell Colin Forth, and Aleesha Louise Gilmore—allegedly pursued Cassius and struck him in the head with a metal pole, causing severe brain injuries.
The prosecutor stated that Cassius, who was not involved in the escalating violence among rival youths, was targeted during a series of events stemming from a personal dispute. The conflict had escalated after accusations involving Gilmore’s brother and another teen, leading to retaliatory attacks.
On the final day of the incident, while Cassius was walking with friends to observe a fight, he was intercepted by the accused. During the confrontation, Cassius was fatally injured as Brearley attacked him out of vengeance. Following the incident, Brearley allegedly boasted about the attack, referring to it as "vigilante violence."
The trial is ongoing, with an estimated 89 witnesses to be called to testify.