Kill accused has links to Townsville
A MAN charged over the public killing of a father-offive at a Cairns shopping centre has ties to Townsville.
Nicholas George Boak, 38, was charged with the murder of Michael John Eaton on Wednesday after he allegedly attacked him in the middle of a shopping centre.
Police will allege Mr Boak slit Mr Eaton’s throat in a random attack at Cairns Central Shopping centre, and he died 20 minutes later.
Mr Boak’s Facebook profile states he graduated from Pimlico State High School in 2000, and he posted in a dedicated “Class of 2000” group just weeks before the attack.
The post encouraged friends to make the trip to Mr Boak’s new home of Fitzroy Island for a school reunion.
Police believe he moved to the island about three months ago from Airlie Beach.
Cairns Detective Acting Inspector Kev Goan said on Wednesday that Mr Eaton was grabbed from behind while walking through the shopping centre.
Detectives say that sometime before Mr Eaton’s death, Mr Boak was allegedly “ranting”, however there was no indication of an argument between the pair.
Police do not believe the pair knew each other.
Mr Boak was quickly arrested and his matter was mentioned in court on Thursday, where he was deemed too high a safety risk to appear in person.
The Cairns Post reported on Thursday that police prosecutor Codi Dalley told the court she would need the matter put off for half an hour if he were to appear in the dock.
“The watch house have concerns about moving the
defendant,” Ms Dalley told Acting Magistrate Rowan Silva.
“He presents an extreme safety risk to the watch house staff, your honour.”
Mr Silva adjourned the matter for committal mention on December 15 and Mr Boak was remanded in custody.
On September 14, Mr Boak also posted a message to a Cairns hiking group on
Facebook asking for hiking partners to explore his new home of Fitzroy Island.
“If you are a local and planning a visit and a hike here and are a good human please feel free to DM me,” he wrote.
Mr Eaton was well known in the community and was spotted regularly at the shopping centre. He leaves behind five children and an elderly mother.