A man in police custody over a fatal bashing in the Queensland holiday town of Noosa Heads has been charged over another assault that occurred about the same time.
Ryo Anan, 27, appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday charged with the serious assault of a 69-year-old man.
Police allege Mr Anan, who is from Gympie, was “naked or in various stages of undress” when he attacked the man on busy Hastings Street.
It came as they also investigate the death of John Kerr, who was assaulted while on a morning walk.
Emergency crews found Mr Kerr, 87, unconscious with head injuries on a beachfront path at the northern end of Hastings Street on the tourist strip about 6am on Sunday.
“It’s tragic circumstances for an elderly man going out for his morning walk. The injuries were quite severe to his face, and he was lying face-up, down on the concrete path,” Detective Inspector Toohey told the ABC.
Bystanders tried to help before paramedics arrived, but Mr Kerr died at the scene.
Beachgoers at the popular tourist spot were shocked by the grisly scene. Caroline Clarke and her friend found the victim lying on the ground.
“I just arrived 10 minutes after it happened, the guy was bleeding and CPR was being performed on him when we arrived,” Noosa local Ms Clarke said.
“A friend of mine was doing CPR, she’s a nurse. They just stumbled across him, he was lying on the ground.”
Mr Anan was taken into custody about 100 metres away and a crime scene was declared.
“[I] just saw a naked guy along the beach and he got arrested and they put a towel around him and put him in the paddy wagon,” Ms Clarke said.
“We saw a policeman taking a picture of a guy who had bloody cloth, kind of like a face towel, that was just kind of covered in blood,” beachgoer Askin Battley told the ABC.
Police said the second assault occurred in Hastings Street about the same time.
It is believed the second assaulted man was not known to Mr Kerr and police are investigating links between the assaults.
Crime scene tape surrounded a large area along parts of Main Beach and into the Noosa Woods car park area on Monday. Anyone who parked in the spot before it was taped off was escorted to their vehicle.
A drone was also launched while police divers searched the ocean around Main Beach and the rocks near the first groyne.
Officers want to hear from anyone who saw a man in various stages of undress or naked anywhere near Hastings Street or walking into the Noosa Woods pathways between 5am and 7am on Sunday.
They’re also appealing for anyone with CCTV footage from midnight to 6am to get in contact by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Mr Kerr’s family released a photo of him in the hope it would encourage more witnesses to come forward.
-with AAP
