Private school captain Marco Yandle facing 10 years in jail for ‘assisting an offender’

The former vice-captain of a prestigious private school is facing up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to helping his father in the alleged murder of a homeless man on their family property.

Marco Yandle appearing at South Australian Supreme Court on Monday, admitted to helping his father Keith Yandle escape apprehension or prosecution, or to dispose of proceeds of the offence, following the alleged murder of Steven Murphy on February 19, 2023.

SA Police allege Keith executed Mr Murphy, a father of two, in the night with an unlicensed firearm on the Kudla property in Adelaide’s outer northern suburbs.

The prosecution alleges the entire incident was caught on the family’s CCTV system.

A tip-off led police to the property, where they found a marijuana farm and a gravesite within a man-made bunker.

Marco, 20, was initially charged with murder alongside his father, but the police downgraded the charges to assisting an offender.

The maximum punishment for the offence is 10 years in prison.

Justice Judy Hughes heard the prosecution and defence were waiting on a psychological report into Marco and victim impact statements.

Stephen Ey, for Marco, requested a sentencing submissions date for July 5, which Justice Hughes accepted.

“I’m confident, as far as I am concerned, we will be ready to go (then),” he said.

Marco appeared at court via videolink from jail, but he will appear in court in person on July 5.

Keith, 46, at an earlier appearance at Adelaide Magistrates Court on February 22, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder but tried to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

“Not guilty your honour, but guilty to manslaughter,” he told Magistrate Justin Wickens.

The prosecution told the court it rejected Mr Yandle’s offer and Mr Wickens transferred the case to the South Australian Supreme Court for May.

Family and supporters of Marco and Mr Murphy packed the court on Monday.

Marco was the vice-captain of Trinity College, a private co-ed school in Gawler that charges up to $7060 a year for senior school students.