EXCLUSIVE
A small dispute over plumbing repairs and the prohibition of diving in the local pool of the city allegedly preceded the death of a dear grandmother and unconditional of the community.
On Wednesday, Brian ‘Bert’ Barnes, 67, was accused of the murder of Merril Kelly, 70, whose body was discovered when emergency services were called to a fire near a cemetery in Quambatok, northwest of Victoria , shortly after 6.30 in the morning on Tuesday.
His body has not yet been formally identified and detectives have to call Forensic experts to officially confirm that it is Mrs. Kelly “due to the circumstances of his death.”
While the police test report against Barnes will not be completed within weeks, it is understood that the detectives will focus on the history of Barnes with the old woman.
Kelly’s death has shocked this Victorian city with a population of just over 200 inhabitants, where he played a key role throughout his life.
He had spent 27 years on the Board of Directors of Northern District Community Health until his retirement in 2023 and had maintained a fundamental role in the operation and maintenance of the community pool.
It is in this function that it is believed that the detectives of the homicide brigade focus their research.
Brian ‘Bert’ Barnes, 67, was accused of the murder of Merril Kelly, 70, whose body was discovered near a cemetery in Quambatok, northwest of Victoria, shortly after 6.30 in the morning on Tuesday.

Merril Kelly (Center) was a dear member of the community in Quambatook

Kelly’s death has shocked this Victorian city with a population of just over 200 inhabitants, where he played a key role throughout his life.
With the nails of his feet of bright colors, painted with the yellow and blue of the flag of Ukraine, Barnes had been an eccentric character in the landscape of the quiet rural city.
Choosing a skateboard as his preferred means of transport, he was often seen by the city flying his remote control helicopter, sometimes at night.
In the week before his arrest, Barnes published numerous videos on his Instagram account that covered all aspects of life, from the mundane to the expression of his complaints.
A video showed him at dawn filming birds outside his house, which seemed to be well maintained and orderly.
You could see a skateboard mounted on the wall, while there was also a small desk in the kitchen where I played with its devices and drones.
Barnes described himself as an artist and sold his work through his recently open Instagram account.
The videos reveal that his house is located at the stone shot of the local police station, and a flag waving on the front has an image of the earth.
Barnes, clearly proud of his house, published several videos both inside and outside his home in Quamatook.
Since he arrived on Instagram just 10 weeks ago, Barnes published up to 100 elements on the page.

Police have not been able to formally identify Merril Kelly’s body (in the photo)

His body was discovered when emergency services were called to a fire near a cemetery in Quambatok, northwest of Victoria, shortly after 6.30 am on Tuesday.
Just a few days before his arrest, Barnes rave in a video on social networks about A fight he had with Mrs. Kelly for a maintenance work that he made in the local pool.
Barnes complained that Kelly had paid him badly for the work done.
He revealed in another video that since then they had been forbidden to swim in the pool after complaints to dive into it.
The Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that this has been some reason for its alleged murder or that is related in some way.
On Thursday, Barnes appeared before the Court of Magistrates of Blessed, who heard the police call. For a mandatory procedure to extract the DNA of Barnes from the buckle of a belt.
These procedures are usually routine when someone is accused of murder.
“For justice, this matter can be addressed at a later date,” said his lawyer Paul Kidd before the court.
“I should know what is the foundation of that request.”

Brian ‘Bert’ Barnes, 67, turned to social networks to describe his problems with the functioning of the local pool.

Brian ‘Bert’ Barnes travels through the city on his skateboard and with his bright color fingers
The matter was postponed until next week, when it is expected to take place in a court at closed doors.
A police prosecutor told court detectives that they needed 24 weeks to compile the test of evidence against Barnes, which was rejected by the magistrate.
“24 weeks is a long time,” he said.
The police hoped to have more time than usual to analyze any evidence that could arise from the DNA extracted from Barnes.
The court heard that it was the first time that Barnes was in custody and suffered from blood pressure complications.
Kidd did not file any request for bail and his client was put in pretrial detention to reappear before the court on April 30.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Quambatok are still privately, determined to protect Mrs. Kelly from the media care.
The Quamatook Lions Club and the Quamatok Community Development Association have announced that they will cancel the Australian Day celebrations on Sunday “due to the tragic events.”
According to a publication on social networks, the two groups “will evaluate in the coming weeks how to join as a community to recognize residents that help make our city special.”
In one of his last and tragic online publications, Kelly asked his local community for help to create a Christmas dish.
‘Does anyone have any mint that can share?’ She asked. “It is for a traditional family dish of carrot and pineapple jelly salad.”
The mint was supplied by the owner of the local coffee, which closed its doors along with much of the city while fighting to accept the pain for its death.
The pool where Kelly worked also closed its doors despite the heat of summer.
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