Grisly shredded body parts of a butcher who went through a woodchipper have been found as police investigate his suspicious death.
Bruce Saunders, 54, died after becoming trapped in the machine while helping a woman clear her driveway of trees with two friends on November 12.
His death was initially believed to be an accident but detectives later opened a murder investigation after discovering ‘several items of interest’ last month.
The horrific death of Bruce Saunders (pictured) who was trapped in an industrial woodchipper may have been caused by a love triangle
Investigations have centred on whether Mr Saunders was caught up in a love triangle involving a woman that led to his death.
The latest gruesome find turned up in a new search of the site on a rural property in Goomboorian near Gympie, southeast Queensland, on Wednesday.
Police found fragments of human remains, clothing, and parts of what police believe was a mobile phone that went into the woodchipper, according to the Courier Mail.
‘We’re conducting a more thorough search of the area where the woodchipper was,’ Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford said.
‘All up there’s about 160sqm that we’re searching. It’s methodical, painstaking work.’
The 54-year-old butcher died after becoming trapped in the woodchipper (pictured) on November 17 last year near Gympie, south-east Queensland
About 40 police, SES volunteers, and the state pathologist spent all day scouring the area around the woodchipper.
Police also confirmed two of the 54-year-old’s friends who were there at the time of his suspected murder were persons of interest along with a woman.
The men were re-interviewed last month and Inspector Pettiford said detectives expected to lay charges ‘in the near future’.
The owner of the property whom Mr Saunders and his friends were helping has been ruled out of having any involvement in the death.
Mr Saunders’ former girlfriend said he treated her like ‘gold’ while his former wife Bernadette Rodgers said he was a ‘really good character’.
‘Bruce was just very respectful of others, would always be there to help anybody who is in need of help, would trust anybody,’ Ms Rodgers said.
In a press conference, Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford refused to comment on the evidence but said: ‘We have re-interviewed two friends of the victim who were with him at the time and we have other persons of interest that we will be talking to’
While it is understood Mr Saunders’ started another relationship after the marriage breakup, he and Ms Rodgers remained ‘good mates’ because ‘that’s the type of person he was’.
The female person of interest has not been identified and it was not clear if she was either of Mr Saunders’ ex-wife or girlfriend.
Several items were seized for forensic examination in a raid last month and police said they were confident of determining exactly how Mr Saunders died.
Mr Saunders, who worked as a butcher in his father’s shop Saunders Quality Meats, was described as a ‘decent fella with a heart of gold’ by friends.
Inspector Pettiford said the machine was not faulty and would not pull someone into the machine if they fell, meaning he was likely pushed.
‘Nothing was wrong with the machine, including all safety features,’ he said.
Police officers executed a search warrant last week and seized items of interest (pictured is the local area)
He revealed that it was one of Mr Saunder’s friends who dialled 000. They were believed to be up a nearby road at the time of the tragedy.
The men were on the last day of helping their female friend, who had recently been widowed and was selling her house, clear her driveway of trees.
Talking about the tragedy when it was believed to be accidental in November, Gympie police acting inspector Paul Algie said the circumstances were horrific.
‘He was placing a tree into a tree shredder; he’s become entangled within the machine and has died as a result of his injuries,’ he said.
‘He was found by his two friends, they attempted to get him out of the machine and were unable to do so.’
The scene was one of the most harrowing he had come across in 16 years of policing, he said.
‘I went out there this morning to speak to officers from Brisbane and I’d have to say it’s one of the worst incident scenes I’ve ever seen.
‘There was nothing that could be done to save this gentleman.’