Murder Charge Over High-Rise Fall

POLICE will allege Tumara Cousins’ fatal high-rise fall earlier this month came after a soured drug deal for $21,000 of methamphetamines.

New information of his terrible death came to light today as police brought charges of murder, robbery charges and drug possession against Christopher Cairns before the Southport Magistrates Court.

Police will allege Cairns and an accomplice visited Mr Cousins in Beachcomber apartment 3111, Surfers Paradise, at 11.40pm the night of his death to buy $21,000 of methamphetamines.

It will be alleged Cairns and his accomplice disputed the quality of the drugs and bashed Mr Cousins in the right side of the head with a blunt instrument.

Court documents allege two men pulled guns on Mr Cousins who ran to the balcony and fell to his death either trying to escape his attackers or was made to fall by either threats or force.

Lawyer Mark Williams, from Potts Lawyers, appeared for Cairns in the Southport Magistrates Court this morning when the case was adjourned to July 23.

Outside court Mr Williams said his client would be “vigorously defending” the criminal charges but declined to comment further.

Cairns was held in the watch house and was not required to appear before the court. He will remain in custody until the July 23 hearing.

Detective Superintendent Tim Trezise said police were looking to speak to a second person over Mr Cousins’ death.

“We’ve been looking extensively for him but haven’t been able to locate him,” Supt Trezise said.

A former South Australian resident, Mr Cousins moved to the Gold Coast with dreams of making a living in the nightclub scene.

He had been living in his Hanlan Street unit for the past 18 months.

A Beachcomber unit owner who was watching television made the grim discovery of Mr Cousins’ body after hearing a noise.

He said he heard a loud thud and thought a car had crashed into the building until he saw Mr Cousins lying face-up in the garden bed below.