Desmond TRANNORE

At 5.45pm on 26 October 1964 a complaint was received at the Gordonvale Police Station by Senior Constable Desmond Trannore. It concerned serious domestic trouble at a farmhouse, some nine miles from Gordonvale, occupied by a person called Verney, his partner Mrs Little and four children. The complaint came from one of Verney's neighbours. On that afternoon, Verney had abused one of his stepchildren. Mrs Little, their mother, sent them to the neighbour's house and told them to phone the police. One child ran to the neighbour, while Vemey grabbed Mrs Little and told her and the remaining child to get into the car. After a short time, they returned to the house.

When Verney saw the police car arrive he loaded his rifle and hid It in the lounge room. Trannore left his vehicle and walked up to the top step whereupon Verney and Mrs Little came out. Mrs Little told Trannore that there was trouble and that she wanted him to look at her child whom Verney had attacked. She also complained that Vemey had assaulted her. Trannore examined the child and told Mrs Little that he was going to take the children to the Gordonvale hospital. Trannore asked Mrs Little to also come to town with the children and she went back into the bedroom to dress. Verney, now in a very agitated state of mind, went into the lounge room and retrieved the rifle. Trannore attempted to get Vemey to relinquish the rifle but he would not give it up. Trannore then put the two children in the car and went back to the house for Mrs Little. As Trannore approached the house Verney shot him once in the chest. The officer only had time to tell the two children to "run for their lives" before he died.

Verney went on the run but surrendered to Cairns police on 27 October. He was committed to stand trial on 16 April 1965 and was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Senior Constable Desmond Trannore.