NINETEEN days after he was first suspected of shooting dead Tamworth police officer David Rixon, police yesterday formally charged the man they think pulled the trigger on the highway patrol officer.
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Police charged Michael Alan Jacobs, of South Tamworth, with the murder of Senior Constable David Rixon.
Senior Constable Rixon, 40, died after suffering gunshot wounds on Friday, March 2, in Lorraine St, Coledale.
Jacobs, 48, was the driver of the car and allegedly the man who shot the father of six.
Jacobs was wounded at the scene, taken to Tamworth hospital for emergency surgery and transferred to Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital, where he has remained under police guard since the incident.
He remains in a serious condition and was refused bail when his case went before Newcastle Local Court yesterday.
Detective Superintendent Michael Willing told the ABC Jacobs was offered a police interview in hospital yesterday before being charged, but refused.
His case will come before court again for mention on May 16.
The State Crime Command’s homicide squad has been leading Strike Force Fairfull, a critical-incident investigation into the shooting.
Detectives allege Jacobs acted alone and that the fatal shooting happened after Senior Constable Rixon attempted to conduct a random breath test on the man.
The murder charge came a day after police applied to Tamworth Local Court for legal approval to gather forensic evidence from Jacobs.
As detectives from the special investigating team that makes up the strike force into the fatal shooting continue to gather evidence, an application was made to the court for a “forensic procedure” to be performed on Jacobs.
The application was first presented to the court on Monday but has been adjourned to April 30.
The details and reasoning behind the application are unclear, but it is believed to be the latest move to piece together the last moments before Senior Constable Rixon died.
The application is believed to relate to the gathering of forensic information, such as DNA or other identifying details, from Jacobs.
