A family dispute over a property sale has allegedly resulted in a double murder and attempted suicide.
Paul Cohrs, 58, former Wentworth deputy mayor, was reported to be in critical condition in a Mildura hospital after apparently shooting himself in the stomach.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said he has since been taken to a Melbourne hospital after his condition stabilised.
Prior to the apparent suicide attempt, he is alleged to have murdered his brother Raymond, 62, and his mother Bette Schulz. Ms Schulz was 82. The motive appears to be a dispute over a large sale of property.
Here is the story as it is currently understood.
Mr Cohrs arranged a meeting with his brother Raymond in Rufus NSW, on Rufus River Road. He drove there with real estate agent Michael Fernandez.
Once there, Mr Cohrs allegedly shot his brother dead and tied up Mr Fernandez, though not necessarily in that order.
Cohrs then drove to his mother's home in Red Cliffs, near Mildura, some 125 km away.
He is alleged to have shot her as well. Her body was found about 12:30 pm.
It has been confirmed that there was a 4-year-old child in the residence when Ms Shulz was murdered. The child was still present when police arrived.
Mr Cohrs then drove back to Rufus and freed Mr Fernandez, before fleeing into bushland near Lake Victoria and shooting himself in the abdomen.
Police found him in this condition and he was rushed to the hospital.
The Cohrs family was well-known in the Mildura community. Friends of the family said family relations had been "decaying" for around 10 years, involving business and property disputes, and legal battles.
According to police, the motive for the killings was financial.
One local resident said, "The whole family situation was a mess."
"I was told they were going to sell a property without him knowing."
Mr Cohrs remains under police guard in an unnamed Victorian hospital.
There are as yet no other suspects. No charges have yet been laid.
Anyone who can supply additional information should call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 333 000.
Jenny Persson contacted us from Nokk, to correct some details in our article the other day.
Although their website shows people viewing Nokk on a tablet and a phone, she said Nokk is a website, but not an app.
She also said that the properties on Nokk are not "listings", as they are not licensed agents. We agree (and mentioned) that the postings are not listings in the normal sense. But they appear to serve a similar purpose.
She also mentioned that when buyers and sellers meet up on Nokk, the company can refer them to the professionals required to settle the deal.
