Two Teenagers Committed to Stand Trial for Alleged Murder of Sunshine Coast Soccer Coach

Two teenagers have been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court in Brisbane over the alleged murder of 57-year-old Sunshine Coast soccer coach Zdravko Bilic. The decision followed a committal hearing at the Maroochydore Children's Court on Friday, where seven witnesses were cross-examined. A trial date will be determined by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The two accused, who were aged 15 and 17 at the time of their arrests on July 17, 2025, are now 16 and 18 years old. Under Queensland law, neither teenager can be publicly identified. They are accused of fatally stabbing Mr Bilic at his home in Warana in July 2025. During Friday's court proceedings, neither defendant entered a plea, and neither made an application for bail.

Court Hears Details of Police Interviews

Defence lawyers raised questions regarding police interview procedures and the provision of support persons during the boys' arrests. Simon Lewis, representing the 18-year-old, cross-examined three police officers and a justice of the peace (JP). Mr Lewis questioned why his Indigenous client was not given the option to contact a support person of his choice on the night of his arrest in Toowoomba, stating officers should have attempted to reach parents, guardians, family, or friends before relying on a list at the police station.

The court heard that the teenager was questioned twice that night, once after 10:00 pm and again shortly before midnight. The arresting officer testified that he knew the boy's parents were in custody and unavailable, but acknowledged he was unaware of the correct hierarchy of support persons for an Indigenous minor. The officer admitted to a gap in his knowledge regarding the designated support list at the station. The JP who acted as the support person testified he should have been a last resort and noted the teen was not given an opportunity to speak with him privately without police present. The court also heard the teen spoke by phone with a representative from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service during his time at the watchhouse.

Second Defendant's Cross-Examination

Lawyer Adrian Braithwaite, representing the 16-year-old, questioned three witnesses, including an interviewing officer and a support person. Media were excluded from the cross-examination of the first witness. The court heard that police denied the teenager's request to make a late-night phone call to an underage girl to express his affection, promising he could contact her the following morning after the interview concluded.

Officers attempted to call a juvenile legal aid hotline, but received no answer due to it being outside operating hours. A support person who attended the interview testified that she offered words of comfort and encouraged the boy to tell the truth during breaks around 1:00 am. She agreed under questioning that during the final break, the teenager stated he intended to tell police what they wanted to hear so he would be permitted to place the phone call.