On Saturday, Peter O’Ryan was at his family’s home in Tyers, Victoria, when an argument erupted just after midday, police said. He allegedly attacked his brother with an axe before turning on his elderly parents.
O’Ryan’s 77‑year‑old father and 47‑year‑old brother were airlifted to hospital with life‑threatening injuries and are now in stable condition.
After evading police for several days, O’Ryan was arrested on Tuesday night following a call about a man suspiciously loitering on Tyers‑Walhalla Road. He was charged with three counts of intentionally causing serious injury. When his case was called in La Trobe Valley magistrates court on Wednesday, he refused to leave the cells.
In his absence, the magistrate remanded O’Ryan in custody and noted management issues including paranoid schizophrenia, panic and anxiety disorder, and depression. The maximum penalty for the charges is 20 years in prison.
