Police are searching a rural property for the body of an elderly Sydney man reported missing last month, whom police now believe was shot dead.
The family of miniature horse breeder Edwin Dobbin, 82, reported him missing from his home in Leppington on September 25, saying they held serious concerns for his welfare because of his medical conditions. Despite two public appeals for information, Dobbin could not be found.
On Thursday, police arrested a 67-year-old Fairfield man at a home in Smithfield and charged him with murder, hindering a police investigation and unlawfully disposing of a corpse.
Phillip Bruce, whom police say knew Dobbin, was refused bail to appear in Fairfield Local Court on Friday.
Police allege Bruce told them conflicting information about Dobbin’s disappearance multiple times during the search for Dobbin, who was last seen in Leppington at 6.45am on September 25.
Edwin Dobbin, 82, was reported missing on September 25.
After Bruce’s arrest, police executed a search warrant on a property at Upper Colo, north of Richmond, where they believe Dobbin’s body has been buried.
They continued to scour the private property on Friday, and Camden police acting superintendent Tim Calman said the extensive search would likely take a few days.
“Police spoke with the family yesterday and obviously in these tragic circumstances they are very, very upset,” he said.
