A 22-year-old former Gold Coast rugby league player has been charged with murder after allegedly dousing his brother in petrol before setting him on fire in Queensland.
Reece Clarke, 26, suffered horrific burns to his entire body after sibling Ethan Clarke, 22, allegedly set him alight at about 1.30am on Saturday morning at their Nerang home.
It is believed he doused his brother on the back deck of the Bushmead St house before setting him alight.
He was initially rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital after suffering burns to his chest, pelvis, face, thighs and arms, but later died in Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Reece Clarke (left), 26, suffered horrific burns to his entire body after sibling Ethan Clarke (right), 22, allegedly set him alight at about 1.30am on Saturday morning at their Nerang home
Ethan Clarke (pictured), accused of murdering his older brother, is a former Gold Coast rugby league player
The 26-year-old suffered horrific burns to his entire body and died in Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Saturday morning
He suffered burns to his chest, pelvis, face, thighs and arms and was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital before being transferred
Their parents are recovering in hospital after making desperate attempts to put out the fire that left their son with the fatal injuries, the Courier Mail reported.
Nerang police Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Procter said police will build their case around an understanding the death was not an accident.
‘It will be alleged that the fire was an intentional act of throwing petrol on someone and setting them on fire.
‘It’s an horrific event. The burns (suffered by the victim) were as bad as you could get.’
The alleged offender was arrested by police around 5:30am in Brisbane and will appear at the Southport Magistrates Court on Monday.
Reece Clarke was initially rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital after suffering burns to his chest, pelvis, face, thighs and arms, but later died in Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Nerang police Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Procter said police will build their case around an understanding the death was not an accident
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