Son charged over couple’s deaths

Detectives investigating the deaths of a corrupt former police inspector and his wife at their Yokine home early yesterday have charged one of the couple’s sons with two counts of grievous bodily harm.

Police said the charges against Vernon Silich, a part-time taxi driver in his 40s, could be upgraded following a port-mortem examination.

Police spokesman Ian Hasleby said a friend of Vernon Silich had phoned police from the home in Virgil Avenue about 4am yesterday to report an incident at the property.

Mr Hasleby said that when police officers and St John Ambulance paramedics arrived a short time later they found the couple, retired police officer Robert Silich and his wife Faye, both 65, dead from head injuries inside the main bedroom. Vernon Silich and his friend were at the property.

Robert Silich left the police force under a cloud and was later branded corrupt by Judge Kevin Hammond after pleading guilty in the District Court in 2000 to 10 counts of corruptly making false records after coercing other officers to issue driver’s licences to friends despite no written or practical driving tests being done.

Fining him $2500 and sentencing him to a two-year suspended jail term eight years ago, Mr Hammond said Robert Silich’s “distinguished” 32-year career and commendable history of charity work had been marred by his destructive, stupid and corrupt actions.

It is believed the couple had three sons, one of whom died in January.

Major Crime Det-Sgt Terry Rakich refused to comment on how the Silichs died or whether a weapon had been found at the scene.

“I can’t comment in relation to the cause of death at this stage,” he said. “That will be established by post mortem in due course. “The deceased are still in situ in the bedroom . . . the forensics have got a lot of work to do.” Police had earlier revealed that Vernon Silich’s friend had been ruled out as a person of interest and was being treated as a witness.

It was unclear whether he had been inside the house when the incident occurred.

Yesterday, neighbours remembered Robert Silich as a quiet and pleasant man who kept to himself but would “toot and wave” when he drove past them.

They expressed shock that a murder had occurred in their tranquil street.

Faith Hamilton, who lives diagonally behind the couple, said she had got out of bed about 3.30am and gone into the backyard after hearing a dog bark continuously.

“It worried me because it kept barking so I went to see where it was coming from,” she said.

“It was a distressed bark . . . it was whimpering and crying as well.”

Another woman said she had been shocked to find the street crawling

with police when she went outside about 7am.

“It is very upsetting because we do know a few of the neighbours they’re all sort of elderly,” she said.

Sgt Rakich said reports from several people of a disturbance about 2.30am were still being investigated and forensic police were expected to work into the night.

He said relatives of the couple had been informed of their deaths and were understandably devastated.

“Events like these are always traumatic, not only for the police officers who attend these things but also for the immediate family,” he said. “Obviously they’re very traumatised by the events of the day.”

Forensic examination of the property and surrounds is expected to last several days.

Vernon Silich is scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrate’s Court today.