The man found dead in dense bushland near a shopping centre has been identified, as detectives investigate whether two dogs that mauled a jogger in the same park may also have been involved in his death.
Andy Parker, 48, was discovered near Kittyhawk Dr in Chermside, Brisbane, about midday on Sunday, October 18, just metres from where local real estate agent Ajay Malik was mauled while jogging along a bike path at 7th Brigade Park on Friday evening.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dogs investigated over jogger attack and park death
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Parker’s badly decomposed body was located by police assisting council investigators following Friday night’s attack, which left Malik fighting for his life with severe injuries to his face and both arms.
Initial findings from a post-mortem indicated Parker died sometime on Friday, the same day Malik was attacked.
Parker was known to sleep rough in the bushland adjoining the Westfield shopping centre, where makeshift camps had been established.
The park near Westfield Chermside, where detectives are investigating the death of a 48-year-old man. Credit: 7NEWSA man’s body was found in bushland near Kittyhawk Drive in Chermside on Sunday, with police investigating the circumstances of his death. Credit: 7NEWSAjay Malik, 37, was left fighting for his life after being attacked by two dogs while jogging in Chermside. Credit: GoFundMe / LinkedIn
His body was found in an open area exposed to the elements, in terrain lower than the surrounding bushland and not necessarily visible to someone looking across the area.
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The dogs had already come to Brisbane City Council’s attention in July, when officers suspected they had been abandoned and seized them before returning them to their owner, Layla Evans.
“There were no complaints made to council about those dogs,” Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.
Evans, 22, had been living in a tent in the park and said the dogs had been secured inside before managing to escape.
The animals, described as a bulldog-American Staffordshire terrier cross and a bulldog-boxer cross, have since been surrendered to council.
Layla Evans is pictured with the two dogs at the centre of the investigation. Credit: 7NEWSPolice vehicles line a bushland track in Chermside, where a 48-year-old man’s body was discovered near the scene of a dog attack. Credit: 7NEWS
Evans was arrested on an unrelated matter shortly after the attack on Friday and had not been charged at the time of publication.
Now, investigators are examining forensic evidence, including taking moulds of the dogs’ jaws and attempting to match their DNA with evidence from Parker’s body.
“Whether it’s one attack or two attacks, it’s a tragedy either way,” Schrinner said.
Council would work closely with police to support an appropriate outcome, he said.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner speaks to reporters as the investigation into the Chermside dog attack continues. Credit: 7NEWSSES crews and police coordinate their work near the scene where Andy Parker’s body was found. Credit: 7NEWSForensic officers examine the scene in Chermside bushland. Credit: 7NEWS
Schrinner said council had not yet received a request from police to hold the dogs beyond the 14-day destruction notice period.
He said the owner could also face council penalties, separate from any potential criminal charges, with evidence gathered by police likely to inform council’s decisions.
Schrinner also called on the state government to investigate crisis accommodation options for people experiencing homelessness who have pets.
“We don’t want to see people living in parks simply because they have a pet when there could be a home for them, there could accommodation for them,” he said.
“If that is indeed the case here, there needs to be an appropriate response where there’s a solution for people that have animals.”
Police have not established whether the animals contributed to Parker’s death or had any involvement after he died.
The homicide investigation unit has been deployed to the park with SES crews joining the search for clues.
Police are urging anyone who heard or saw anything unusual in the parkland between 4pm and 6pm on Friday to come forward.
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