The heartbroken daughter of a prominent businessman who was allegedly beaten to death in his own home has made a desperate plea for help to find those responsible.
Jim Hill, 79, died after suffering blunt force trauma to the head during the attack in the southeast Queensland town of Gatton in the Lockyer Valley on Anzac Day.
Although Hill was able to call emergency services and his daughter Tayla after the brutal assault, he did not recover from his injuries and died in Toowoomba Hospital 11 days later.
Police have launched a homicide investigation into his death.
Hill, who co-owns the Gatton and Minden bus service with her father, has urged anyone with information to come forward.
Jim Hill, 79 (pictured left with his daughter Tayla) was beaten to death in his home on Anzac Day.
“The more we release this information, the more we can find out what happened,” Ms Hill said.
The devastated daughter, who was the first to arrive at the scene, believed the attack on her father was random.
“There’s no motive behind this, it’s completely unexpected – he wasn’t a threat to anyone, he was only going to be in the house for a short period before moving north,” he said.
“He had only been living there for three weeks; all he wanted to do was move north and go fishing.”
Darling Downs Detective Inspector Heath McQueen asked that anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the area around Hood Street at the time of the incident hand it over to police.
Hill was well known for offering free rides on his 1917 GMC, which is Australia’s oldest registered bus.
He said the offender appeared to have entered the property through the back door and hit Mr Hill several times on the head and upper body with a hard object.
Police declined to say what information Hill may have given about the attack.
Neighbors say they were unaware of the attack until police descended on the scene in large numbers the next day.
Tributes have been pouring in for the kind-hearted businessman, known for giving out free rides in his 1917 GMC, Australia’s oldest registered bus.
At one point, Mr. Hill’s company had more than 200 buses across the state.
Hill called his father a “larger than life character.”
‘He worked and played hard from time to time and knew how to have fun.
“Anyone who was in trouble, Jim was always the first person you called.”
According to his daughter, Hill was preparing to retire when his life ended tragically.
Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan said Hill had made a lasting contribution to south-east Queensland and his “cheeky, dry wit” would be “sadly missed”.
“His legacy within Gatton Bus Service and the wider bus and coach industry will live on forever,” he said.
Lockyer State MP Jim McDonald called Hill’s death a “senseless tragedy.”
“His name is synonymous with the Queensland bus and coach industry,” Mr McDonald said.
“Jim and his family, through their business, have been a pillar of support for numerous community and sporting groups, leaving an indelible mark on our community.”
Mr Hill’s company, the Gatton and Minden bus service, at one time operated around 200 buses across Queensland.
