Ross Tighe, who survived a 2022 shooting that killed three members of his family, forcefully rejected defense claims that accused cattle farmer Darryl Valroy Young wasn't present at the scene. "He was there," Tighe insisted from the witness stand, raising his voice as the defense attorney suggested an alternative narrative. "Darryl was at the front gate."
The 34-year-old testified via video link from Mackay courthouse on Wednesday in the Supreme Court trial in Townsville, where Young, a Queensland cattle farmer, faces three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Young has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the August 4, 2022 incident at his Bogie property gate, where prosecutors say he used a rifle to shoot Tighe, his brother Graham Tighe, mother Maree Schwarz, and stepfather Mervyn Schwarz during what was supposed to be a meeting between neighboring cattle station operators.
Defense Strategy Targets Survivor's Credibility
Defense lawyer Anthony J. Kimmins told jurors Young never saw the Tighes or Schwarzes that day. He asked the jury to consider whether anyone else had a motive to kill. During cross-examination, Kimmins questioned physical evidence, pointing to the absence of a bullet entry hole on Tighe's shirt and the lack of blood in the car he said he drove while wounded. "Entry holes aren't really that big — it didn't bleed that much," Tighe responded.
The defense also scrutinized Tighe's personal history, revealing drug charges for cannabis and MDMA possession, obstruction of police, and a lost gun license following a conviction. When asked about growing cannabis, Tighe claimed legal privilege and didn't answer. "Scraping the bottom of the barrel a bit," Tighe remarked, prompting Justice Christopher Johnstone to warn him against commenting on the questioning.
Financial Pressure and Personal Life Examined
The court viewed text messages between Tighe and his former partner, who can't be named for legal reasons. "What has this got to do with anything?" Tighe asked as the messages were presented. One text from his then-girlfriend read, "I am stressed about having no money." Tighe explained they were trying to save more money. His 2021-22 tax return showed he'd earned $35,688 over 12 months, mostly from his family's business.
Messages referencing physical violence and a domestic violence order were also shown. Tighe denied being physically violent toward the woman and denied having a DVO placed on him. The court also heard he'd made a civil claim against Young for injuries suffered, which he confirmed.
The trial, expected to run three weeks, continues. Tighe finished giving evidence Wednesday.
Why This Matters:
The defense's aggressive cross-examination strategy reveals how survivors of violent crime face scrutiny not just of their account of events, but of their entire lives. Financial stress, past drug use, and relationship problems become tools to undermine credibility, even when three people are dead and a fourth bears physical wounds. This case tests whether jurors can separate a witness's personal history from the central question of what happened at that gate on the fourth anniversary of the shooting this month. The outcome will determine accountability for a devastating loss that destroyed a family and shattered a rural community. For survivors of violence, the trial itself becomes a second ordeal where their character faces judgment alongside the accused.