The cold case that left police stumped for over a decade and resulted in two arrests in 2019 may finally be coming to an end next month when one of the alleged killers is expected to offer a guilty plea at the supreme court.
Jay Brogden was just 21 years old when he disappeared on the 21st of April 2007 and his body has never been found.
Shortly after his disappearance police announced a $250,000 reward for any information that led to the discovery of his remains, which prompted many people to come forward with information.
It did, however, take until 2019 for Gavin Parnell and Braddon Butler to be charged for his alleged murder.
The pair have since remained in custody on remand.
Both men were committed to stand trial at the supreme court following a committal hearing in June last year.
Then, last week, Mackay’s Supreme Court heard that Gavin Parnell is likely to plead guilty, with the matter listed for mention sometime in March.
At a hearing in 2019, the court heard from Parnell’s mother, Donna Balma, who said that her son had mentioned that he was involved with the alleged murder.
Parnell had asked her whether what he said to a counsellor would be admissible in court and then went on to detail a boat trip with Jay Brogden and another man.
During this trip he alleges the other man shot Mr Brogden and told him that he could either join him or help get rid of the body, so he helped push the body over the side of the boat.
This testimony asserts that Butler was not present on the boat, however, other witnesses say that he was.
One witness, who lived with Parnell for a short time, recounts a night when they had both consumed some home-brewed alcohol and Butler confessed to killing Mr Brogden with a shotgun and that it was Butler who pushed the body off the boat.
Another witness stepped forward saying that at her 21st birthday, Parnell confessed to the shooting.
Paul O’Brien also came forward, years after the event, saying he didn’t say anything at the time because he didn’t think Parnell was capable of it.
He remembers Parnell stating that Mr Brogden owed him money and confirming Butler was at the alleged shooting.
With many witnesses all confirming Parnell’s presence it looks like, more than 15 years after Jay Brogden’s disappearance, his family will finally get some closure and the killers finally brought to justice.
Jay Brogden went missing in 2007
$250,000 reward was offered for any information that led to the discover of his body
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