- Declan Laverty was stabbed multiple times at his place of work at the Airport Tavern Bottleshop on March 19, 2023
- His alleged attacker, Keith Kerinauia was arraigned for attempted murder on March 21, 2023
- Aside from his work at the tavern, he was a budding musician
Declan Laverty was an Australian bottle shop worker who was stabbed and killed at the Airport Tavern’s BWS Drive-through store in Darwin, Australia on Sunday, March 19, 2023. He was born and raised in Cairns, Queensland but moved to Darwin in 2021.
Aside from his life being cut short prematurely, he was a budding musician that was about to release his musical material.
The Early Life and Background of Declan Laverty
Declan Laverty was born in 2003 in Cairns to Samara Leanne and Mr. Laverty. He was brought up alongside his sister, Bridget Laverty in Cairns. He spent his childhood there before moving to Darwin in 2021.
The details about his childhood and why he moved to Cairns to be with his father remain unclear. Nonetheless, it is likely that his parents are not together.
The Truth About His Death
According to reports, Declan was stabbed by an unidentified person on March 19, 2023, at the Airport Tavern Bottleshop, his place of work.
Allegedly, his attacker was a customer whom he refused to attend to because the tavern was approaching its 9 pm closing time. Following this, his attacker fled the scene leaving the 22-year-old fatally wounded.
The Darwin Resident Left a Message for His Father
Following his fatal stabbing and in the final hours of Declan’s life, he sent a message to his dad telling him he loves him and that he was stabbed.
Since Declan had gone to work with the family’s car, his father then took an Uber to the Airport Tavern Bottle Shop. Sadly, he died before emergency service reached him at the tavern. While reacting to Declan’s death, his father, Mr. Laverty called Mix 104.9 and spoke to the host Katie Woolf. While he did not reveal his identity, Declan’s father described his son as a ‘wonderful, opinionated, strong lad’. He also revealed that the deceased had been trying to find another job due to the risk involved.
Apparently, Declan had been abused by customers in the past. A few weeks before the stabbing, the 20-year-old was attacked with screwdrivers in the line of his work. Nonetheless, he kept hanging on hoping that he would find another job soon enough.
His Death is One of Several Violent Crimes in the Area
After Declan’s death, there has been an outcry for law enforcement to execute its duty.
Moreso, his horrible death is one of the most violent crimes in the Darwin area. One of his colleagues had been attacked a few weeks before the stabbing and had been out of a job.
Since December 2022, Declan’s death is the third reported case of assault including that of his colleague.
On December 20, two women were reported to have been assaulted in the area. The first, a 28-year-old woman died, and the second woman, aged 35, survived the ordeal. Investigations at the time pointed towards a three-woman group fight on Kentucky street which involved the two women.
Apparently, the three women knew each other as they had been drinking together. Like Declan, the deceased was also a resident of Darwin.
In the course of an investigation by the Major Crime Squad, the third woman was identified through CCTV cameras and taken into custody, yet nothing was heard of the case till the recent attacks started.
The Police Arraigned a Suspect in the Murder of Declan Laverty
As of this writing, the police reported that they have a suspect, Keith Kerinauia, in their custody. Kerinauia(21) was charged with murder, aggravated robbery, and breach of bail in connection with Declan’s death.
He appeared before the Darwin Local Court on March 21, 2023, to answer the charges brought against him. The prosecutor revealed that the accused was out on bail for another crime at the time of the attack. As of this writing, the attorney for the accused, Shane McMaster has not indicated whether his client will fight the charges or not.
Aside from Kerinauia, the police in its investigation, have charged three other boys reportedly involved in separate but connected incidents on the same night Declan was attacked and killed.
One may wonder how the police sweep has turned so many people in. It turns out that they linked it to another robbery incident that involves the same vehicle and some of the same people.
See Also: Robert Blake Wives, Children, Many Controversies, Cause of Death
Declan Laverty’s Death Marks an End to a Budding Music Career
Declan’s death may seem like another violent crime, yet, it is a sad ending to a career that never took off. Per Declan’s father, he was a budding musician who was passionate about following a career path in the industry.
In fact, he is said to have been managing his time between studies, working at the bottling shop, and the upcoming release of his musical material. Thus, working 30 hours became a part of his schedule. Aside from being passionate about music, he also loved football. As it is, this last dream may never happen.
