A woman allegedly ‘counselled’ two of her lovers to brutally murder an ex-lover by feeding his body through a woodchipper.
Sunshine Coast woman Sharon Graham, 57, was one of three people charged with the murder of Bruce Saunders, 54, who died on a rural property near Gympie, Queensland, on November 12 when his body was shredded alive in a woodchipper.
Police will allege Ms Graham masterminded the alleged killing, and came up with a plan for her co-accused Greg Lee Roser, 59, and Peter John Koenig, 61, to murder him and cover it up as a farm accident, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported.
Police will allege Ms Graham (pictured after her arrest on Tuesday) masterminded the killing
Alleged victim Bruce Saunders is pictured with a former love interest, Sharon Graham, who was on Tuesday charged with his murder
The police will also allege Ms Graham was romantically linked to all three men at various times.
The three Queensland defendants were arrested on Tuesday following an investigation by the police into the crime.
Police also investigated what links Ms Graham had to Mr Saunders’ finances.
Despite not physically being with him on the day of his death, the police will allege Ms Graham conspired to murder Mr Saunders.
Mr Saunders died while helping a newly widowed woman clear trees at a property near Gympie.
He was with Roser and Koenig, who were both charged with his murder on Tuesday.
Bruce Saunders, 54, (pictured) died when he was allegedly put through an industrial woodchipper at a Goomboorian property in November
Ms Graham is pictured being taken into police custody on Tuesday following her arrest
Peter Koenig (left), Greg Roser (centre) and Sharon Graham (right) have been charged over the death of Mr Saunders
Mr Saunders was working on a property on Tanana Road clearing vegetation with the two men when he was allegedly murdered with the woodchipper
Ms Graham allegedly took the owner of the property out for the day, when Mr Saunders was allegedly killed.
The Sunshine Coast woman reportedly still lives in her dead ex-lover’s home. She was also reportedly driving his car when she was arrested on Tuesday morning.
In a touching tribute to her former lover after his death, Ms Graham said he treated her ‘like gold’.
‘His love to me was bigger than anything in this world. He never stopped wanting to do for me. I’m so lost without you Bruce,’ she wrote on the Browns Funerals website.
‘No word can say what I’m feeling.’
Ms Graham, Roser and Koenig all fronted court separately on Tuesday, charged with murder and perverting the course of justice.
Two people have been arrested over the gruesome death of a man whose body was fed through a woodchipper – police officers are seen taking one of the men into custody this week
When police were called to the property on November 12, they described the scene as ‘horrific’.
Gympie Police acting inspector Paul Algie said at the time it was ‘one of the worst incident scenes I’ve ever seen’.
‘It was actually quite horrific. His friends discovered him as he became entangled and attempted to extract him from the shredder and were unable to do so.
‘They’re obviously quite traumatised now.’
The death was originally treated as an accident, but police opened a murder investigation when new details came to light.
When officers returned to the homestead to investigate, they discovered fragments of human remains.
They also discovered clothing and parts of a mobile phone they believe also went through the machine.
Gympie Police acting inspector Paul Algie said at the time it was ‘one of the worst incident scenes I’ve ever seen’ (victim Bruce Saunders left and right)
Detectives are seen at the Gympie property, where they discovered human remains
Mr Saunders owned and operated a family butcher shop in Bundaberg, north of Gympie, before moving to Nambour in 2016.
He reportedly moved from Bundaberg after the break down of a relationship, before starting another relationship in Nambour.
Mr Saunders’ friends and family were left devastated by the suspected murder of a man they said was always willing to help others.
Queensland police officers have arrested two people over the murder of the Queensland man
When officers returned to the Gympie property to investigate, they found fragments of the human body and bloody clothes (pictured is the local area)
Maryborough Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford said on Tuesday Mr Saunders’ family was devastated but relieved after murder charges were laid.
‘The family is very relieved. They’ve been excellent throughout the whole process. They’ve been patient and very trusting of the police to do our job,’ he said.
‘They have been briefed and are very thankful.’
Det Insp Pettiford said the family was dealing well with a very difficult situation.
‘They’re obviously very upset today but obviously very thankful that this stage of the operation is complete,’ he said.
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