Manhunt Intensifies: Armed Suspect Still on the Run After Brutal Axe Attack Leaves Parents and Brother Fighting for Life
Victoria Police have issued an arrest warrant for 48-year-old Peter O’Ryan as a large-scale search continues for the man accused of a violent axe attack on his own family in the small Gippsland town of Tyers.
The incident unfolded shortly after 12:30pm on Saturday, 5 September 2026, at a property on Cowies Road, roughly 160 kilometres east of Melbourne. Police say O’Ryan, who is known to the victims, entered the family home where an argument developed. He is alleged to have first attacked his 47-year-old brother before turning on his elderly parents — a 76-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman — using what investigators believe was an axe or hatchet.
All three victims sustained critical injuries. The father and brother were airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne with life-threatening wounds described by investigators as extremely severe. Both required immediate surgery and remain in a critical condition in intensive care. The mother was also taken to hospital with critical injuries but is now in a stable condition. The victims managed to contact emergency services after the alleged attacker fled the scene on foot.
O’Ryan has no fixed address and is known to frequent the Morwell area. Police say he has previously sought shelter in abandoned properties and outhouses rather than remote bushland. He was last seen wearing a distinctive black and mustard-coloured jacket and carrying a black backpack. Authorities have warned that he may still be armed with an axe or similar weapon and have urged the public not to approach him under any circumstances. Anyone who spots him should immediately call Triple Zero (000).
A widespread search involving local police, detectives and aerial support has been underway since Saturday afternoon and continues into the new week. Investigators are still working to establish the precise sequence of events but believe the violence followed a domestic argument. Images of O’Ryan have been released to the public in the hope that someone will recognise him and provide information about his whereabouts.
Police have described the alleged offending as among the most serious family violence cases they have encountered. They do not believe O’Ryan currently poses a threat to the wider community, noting that the attack appears to have been targeted at family members. Nevertheless, they have appealed directly to the 48-year-old to hand himself in at any police station, stating that doing so would be in both his own interests and those of the public.
The case has heightened concerns about extreme domestic violence in regional Victoria. Detectives continue to follow multiple lines of inquiry while the intensive search for O’Ryan remains active across the Latrobe Valley and surrounding areas. Community members are being asked to remain vigilant and report any sightings without confronting the suspect.
As of Monday, 7 September, O’Ryan remains at large. Police stress that the investigation is ongoing and that public assistance could prove vital in bringing the manhunt to a safe conclusion. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.
