SA Police say a New South Wales man, whose body was found in the South Australian town of Venus Bay on Monday, was "viciously beaten" at Poochera and likely died at the scene on Sunday.
They say the murder scene behind an art gallery in the town was found as a result of 11 calls to Crime Stoppers after an appeal from police yesterday.
Police allege 43-year-old Adam Troy Bennett murdered his travel companion, 64-year-old Peter Hillier, on Sunday and then called an ambulance for him on Monday.
Mr Bennett said Mr Hillier was injured on Sunday after falling from their shared motorhome while he was drunk and it was moving.
He said he then called for an ambulance after discovering him not moving at their holiday home on Monday.
Mr Hillier had been reported missing by his niece last week, while Mr Bennett had been listed as a missing person since 2020.
Both were from Lake Haven, on the NSW Central Coast.
'Crucial evidence' found behind art gallery
Detective Superintendent Des Bray said it appeared the pair had been drinking and socialising behind Dusty's Art Gallery on Main Street from about 4:30pm to 7:30pm or 8:30pm.
He said it was then "likely [Mr Hillier] was viciously beaten to such an extent that surviving those injuries was not a possibility", although it was unclear whether he was transported somewhere else before he died.
Superintendent Bray said police found what they believed was the murder weapon at the site, although he would not say what it was or what motive Mr Bennett may have had for killing his friend.
Asked whether Mr Hillier was a wealthy man, he said "it appears so".
Police questioned accused's story
Yesterday, Superintendent Bray said police did not believe Mr Bennett's story that Mr Hillier had fallen from the motorhome between Streaky Bay, where he said they had been fishing on Sunday morning, and Venus Bay.
Today, he said police did not believe the pair had been to Streaky Bay at all.
"There is no evidence to support that. It's just impossible," he said.
Mr Bennett did not apply for bail yesterday and was remanded in custody to face court again in November.
Police are looking for other witnesses who may have seen Mr Bennett or Mr Hillier in Poochera or his Mercedes-Benz motorhome in the area between 8:30pm on Sunday and 10:30am on Monday.
