A regional New South Wales town has been devastated by the alleged murder of a beloved Elvis impersonator.
Bernie Peri, 75, was found dead at his home in Parkes on Sunday afternoon, believed to have been killed by 28-year-old Marshall Karaitiana.
Police arrested Karaitiana on Tuesday evening in Tullamore, about 100km northwest of Parkes, and charged him with murder.
The musician was a fixture at the mid-west NSW town’s annual Elvis Festival since its inception in 1993, with Parkes Shire councilor Ken McGrath saying residents were devastated by his death.
“He came to the festival and we got on like a house on fire, he made such a big contribution,” he said.
Peri moved to Australia from New Zealand and lived in Parkes for more than 15 years, McGrath said.
“He was a great guy, the kind of guy you couldn’t argue with,” he said.
Representatives for the Royal Hotel, which Peri frequented, were too upset to comment when asked Wednesday afternoon.
On his Facebook page, pub management described him as a “much-loved friend”.
Karaitiana appeared in Lake Cargelligo Local Court on Wednesday to face his sole charge of murder.
He did not request bail and it was formally refused.
The annual Parkes festival, which coincides with the king of rock’n’roll’s birthday on January 8, typically attracts about 25,000 people to the farming town and raises about $13 million.
It was founded to attract visitors during the traditionally quiet summer period.
