Body-in-barrel accused to fight murder charge

The lawyer for a man accused of murdering a 16-year-old Brisbane schoolgirl is awaiting an autopsy report as he considers arguing her death was due to misadventure.

Zlatko Sikorsky has been charged with murder, torture, deprivation of liberty and interfering with a corpse over the death of Larissa Beilby, whose body was found in a barrel in the back of a ute near Logan.

The 34-year-old is also accused of detaining Larissa in a vehicle against her will and is facing drug, weapons and driving charges.

He did not appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday after being arrested following a 28-hour siege on the Sunshine Coast on the weekend, with his matter adjourned for committal in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on September 3.

Sikorsky's lawyer Brendan Ryan said his client intended to fight the murder charge, suggesting Larissa may have died by accident.

"We're going to wait until the autopsy report is provided to police and to my office, Mr Ryan said outside court.

"No doubt, hopefully misadventure will be open on the basis of that autopsy report."

Police allege Sikorsky killed Larissa sometime between June 22 and 28 after she was last seen alive by loved ones on June 15.

Her body was found inside a barrel on the back of a black ute that was abandoned on Wednesday at a residential complex at Stapylton on the northern Gold Coast.

Mr Ryan also said he didn't yet know if he'd lodge a Supreme Court application seeking bail for his client.

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