Man charged with murder

A 24-year-old man accused of murdering a 56-year-old man in Kirup last month has made his first appearance in court since his charge was upgraded.

Saxon Steele Vitali made a brief appearance in the Bunbury Magistrates Court before Magistrate Joe Randazzo this morning facing one charge each of murder and criminal damage. A charge of causing grievous bodily harm was dismissed.

He did not enter pleas to the charges.

Mr Vitali sat in the dock with his head down as Magistrate Randazzo discussed the case with his lawyer Michael Devlin and police prosecution.

The charges relate to an incident on July 14 when the Manjimup victim was assaulted in Kirup. The victim suffered severe head injuries and was flown to Royal Perth Hospital, where he remained in an induced coma before he died on July 25.

Mr Vitali was initially charged with causing grievous bodily harm but police upgraded it to murder following a post-mortem and ongoing investigations by the Homicide Squad and the Bunbury Detectives office.

Mr Vitali is due to reappear in court at Stirling Gardens via video link on August 30.

He is due to face the criminal damage charge in the Bunbury Magistrates Court on August 31.