A body has been found during a search of a rural property for a beloved horse-breeder who was allegedly murdered in a case police are struggling to explain.
Family members reported Leppington man Edwin Dobbin, 82, missing in September.
An investigation to find him was launched without success.
Phillip Robert Bruce, a man known to Mr Dobbin, allegedly gave police conflicting information about the incident multiple times.
Bruce, 67, was arrested at a home in the Sydney suburb of Smithfield about 2.45pm on Thursday following extensive investigations.
He was taken to Fairfield Police Station. A crime scene warrant was executed at a property in Upper Colo, in the Hawkesbury region, northwest of Sydney.
Police have confirmed a body was found buried at the Upper Colo property on Friday.
While the body is yet to be formally identified, police believe it is Mr Dobbin.
Family members reported Leppington man Edwin Dobbin (pictured), 82, missing in September
Phillip Robert Bruce, a man known to Mr Dobbin, allegedly gave police conflicting information about the incident multiple times. Bruce, 67, was arrested at a home in the Sydney suburb of Smithfield about 2.45pm on Thursday following extensive investigations
He was taken to Fairfield Police Station. A crime scene warrant was executed at a property in Upper Colo northwest of Sydney where officers discovered a body, believed to be Mr Dobbin, on Friday
Bruce has been charged with murder, hindering the investigation of a serious indictable offence of other and unlawful disposal of corpse.
He allegedly shot Mr Dobbin on September 25, the same day he was reported missing before allegedly disposing of his body at the rural property, court documents read.
Two missing-person appeals were issued for Mr Dobbin after he was last spotted at Leppington, in Sydney’s southwest, early that day.
Police and his family said they held serious concerns for his welfare due to medical conditions that required medication.
Police allege the two men were known to each other.
Acting Superintendent Tim Calman told reporters on Friday the family are ‘very, very upset’ following the latest update in the search.
‘Police spoke to the family yesterday and obviously these tragic circumstances, they’re very, very upset, and Camden Police continue to work with the family to assist them,’ Superintendent Calman said.
Mr Dobbin (pictured) was a prominent miniature horse breeder in Sydney and a maker of sulkies, which are lightweight carts used for harness racing
Bruce has been charged with murder, hindering the investigation of a serious indictable offence of other and unlawful disposal of corpse
He allegedly shot Mr Dobbin on September 25, the same day he was reported missing before disposing of his body at the rural property, court documents read.
He said there is no information on a motive.
‘The exact ownership details of that property still remain under investigation at this time,’ Superintendent Calman said.
Mr Dobbin was last seen in Leppington about 6.45am on September 25 wearing a brown and white striped shirt, black puffer jacket, black shorts, white socks and brown shoes.
He was a prominent miniature horse breeder in Sydney and a maker of sulkies, which are lightweight carts used for harness racing.
Bruce has also been accused of providing a false statement to hinder the investigation, and unlawfully disposing of a corpse.
His matter was briefly mentioned at Fairfield Local Court on Friday, when his barrister Thomas Skinner did not apply for bail.
The case is due to return to Parramatta Local Court in December.
