EXCLUSIVE
A homeless man accused of stabbing a young surfer in a suspected ‘robbery gone wrong’ is a father of young children who spouts self-help proverbs online.
Matthew Willacy, 36, allegedly stabbed Kye Schaefer, 21, in the neck and chest as he returned to his car following a morning surf at Coffs Harbour’s Park Beach, on the NSW Mid North Coast, on May 2.
Mr Schaefer was found lying next to his car with critical injuries and was rushed to hospital, where he later died.
More than a month later, Willacy was arrested at Grafton’s Clarence Correctional Centre on Tuesday and charged with Mr Schaefer’s murder.
Police will allege Willacy, who was known to police and believed to be sleeping rough, committed an unrelated nearby robbery shortly after Mr Schaefer was attacked.
He was arrested on May 2 and charged over the robbery, and has remained in custody since.
Matthew Willacy, 36, (pictured) was arrested earlier this week of the death of a young surfer on the NSW Mid North Coast last month
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Willacy is a father of several young children.
His social media accounts are filled with memes sharing inspirational quotes – promoting personal growth, positive thinking and the importance of practising gratitude.
Some of the tenets shared include ‘everyday may not be good, but there is something good in every day’ and ‘remember there’s always someone not as blessed as you’.
In early 2020, he revealed he was making new changes to his life and was ‘feeling good’.
‘Feeling good my brain is working a bit better… time to be happy I hope,’ he wrote.
In another post, Willacy urged fellow indigenous men to look out for one another and offer each other support in times of need.
Kye Schaefer, 21, was allegedly stabbed in the neck and chest after leaving the surf at Park Beach on Ocean Parade in Coffs Harbour around 6.40am on May 2
Kye had been surfing at Park Beach, Coffs Harbour (pictured) when he was allegedly set upon in what police believe was a random and unprovoked attack
‘Dear black men! Stop mean mugging a brother when you walk past,’ he wrote.
‘Speak to him, shake his hand, ask if he’s ok!
‘Break the cycle.’
Kye, a keen athlete and skilled soccer player, has been remembered as a caring young man who ‘lived life to its fullest’ – as his shocking death leaving his community reeling in grief.
Earlier this week, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty described the alleged attack on Mr Schaefer as ‘an iniquitous, senseless act of violence’.
‘It may be a robbery gone wrong but it was unprovoked and it was violent,’ he later told Sydney radio 2GB.
‘He’s gone to the surf with his wetsuit and he’s putting that on and whatever happened between the interaction between this 36-year-old man and Kye, it’s resulted in him being stabbed multiple times.
Willacy advocated against violence online and frequently shared inspirational posts
‘He didn’t get to do what he loved and unfortunately his life was taken.’
Det Supt Doherty said police had a strong circumstantial case to pursue a murder charge based on CCTV footage, witness statements and forensic evidence.
Police will allege Willacy was spotted on CCTV riding a stolen bike to the scene of the alleged crime – and was wearing shoes detectives believe were stolen.
Detectives are yet to locate the shoes or determine how they came to be in Willacy’s possession.
Police have appealed for help to find the knife used in the attack as well as the bicycle Willacy was alleged to have been riding at the time.
Willacy’s case is next due before Coffs Harbour Local Court on August 13.
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