Coroner Refers Suspects in 1996 Crayfish Farm Death

A coroner has referred two suspects to Queensland's Director of Public Prosecutions over the death of a 24-year-old crayfish farm worker nearly three decades ago, potentially reopening a case that has haunted his family for over a quarter-century.

Jeffrey Lawrence Brooks died from a gunshot wound to the chest at a Beenleigh aquaculture property south of Brisbane in March 1996. An aquaculturist by trade, Brooks was working at the crayfish farm when he suffered the fatal injury from a 12-gauge shotgun. Police initially concluded the shooting was accidental — that he had discharged the weapon when reaching for it.

The original 1998 coronial inquest produced an open finding, unable to definitively rule out foul play despite the police's accident theory. The case remained largely dormant until 2018, when a podcast examining Brooks' death sparked new scrutiny among investigators and motivated the family to pursue a second coronial inquiry to challenge the long-standing official conclusion.

This week, Coroner Donald MacKenzie handed down his findings after examining 26 years of accumulated material, witness statements, and expert evidence. He found there was "sufficient information" to establish "reasonable suspicion" that crayfish farm manager Johannes Geiger and his wife Regine Kjellerup were involved in the killing.

MacKenzie pointed to several factors: statements from Brooks expressing fear for his life, evidence of motive, aggressive behaviour directed at him in the 24 hours before his death, and post-incident behaviour by both suspects that potentially incriminates them. "There is evidence of statements by the deceased concerned for his life, motive, aggressive behaviour 24 hours before the shooting, opportunity and post offence behaviour that potentially incriminates them both," the coroner stated in his formal findings.

Yet MacKenzie stopped short of declaring Geiger and Kjellerup guilty of any criminal offence. Instead, he ruled that Brooks died either by accidental discharge of the shotgun or at the hands of an unknown assailant — leaving both possibilities open while signalling sufficient suspicion to warrant prosecutorial review.

Lawrence and Wendy Brooks, the victim's parents, expressed mixed emotions at the week's findings. They welcomed the coroner's referral to the Director of Public Prosecutions, viewing it as vindication of their decades-long assertion that their son was murdered. "After all this time, the coroner felt the same way we did," Wendy Brooks said.

However, they voiced disappointment that the original police investigation escaped criticism, having long contended that Queensland Police mishandled the case. "There needs to be an independent body set up in the Queensland Police Service," Lawrence Brooks said.

The coroner rejected those criticisms, finding the 1996 investigation "adequate" and "thorough," though he acknowledged it "was not perfect." He also noted that subsequent independent reviews confirmed the investigation was satisfactory.

The coroner absolved Graham Lloyd, the farm hand who discovered Brooks' body and alerted authorities, finding his conduct "consistent with innocence" and presenting him as an honest witness.

For the Brooks family, this week's ruling offers a form of closure — not the certainty they sought, but official recognition that their doubts carry merit. The case now passes to prosecutors, who will determine whether criminal charges are warranted.