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July 1, 2026

Son appeals for help to find father’s killer

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A car similar to the one police believe may be connected to the murder of Michael Martin. (Supplied)
A car similar to the one police believe may be connected to the murder of Michael Martin. (Supplied)

The son of a man killed in a home invasion at South Murwillumbah last year has appealed for justice as police released details of a car they think may be connected to the murder.

Michael Martin was killed in his Quarry St, South Murwillumbah, home within a day of leaving hospital after a separate home invasion in April.

His son, Michael Martin Junior told media on Sunday that he was tied up during the attack, and wasn’t able to see those involved.

Mr Martin said that while his father had ‘a colourful past’, he did not deserve to be killed.

About 3.45am on Monday 7 April 2014, emergency services were called to the Quarry Road home in South Murwillumbah where they found Mr Martin and another man, aged 49, suffering serious injuries.

Mr Martin was killed on Friday, 13 June, during a second home invasion after he had been released from hospital.

The murder has been under investigation by the homicide squad and Tweed/Byron Local Area Command under Strike Force Areae.

During the second home invasion, Mr Martin suffered serious head and facial injuries and died at the scene, while his 25-year-old son, Michael Martin Jnr, who was also present, suffered a head injury.

On Sunday, police released details of a vehicle seen in Quarry Road the morning of Michael Martin’s murder, in the hope of identifying the car and speaking with those associated with it.

The vehicle was described as a brown coloured Toyota Camry sedan SV21 model (produced 1987-1993) with Queensland registration plates that possibly contain ‘LAC’.

Tweed/Byron Local Area Command crime manager Detective Inspector Brendon Cullen said it was not known what connection, if any, the vehicle had with Mr Martin’s murder.

‘We are keen to speak to anyone who has information about the owner of the car, or who was driving it on that particular day,’ he said.

‘At this stage it’s unclear whether the vehicle had any connection with Mr Martin’s murder, and that’s something we’re trying to establish,’ Det Insp Cullen said.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is urged to come forward, with police reminding members of the public they can provide information anonymously via Crime Stoppers.



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