Gold Coast bikies face court for alleged murder of rival Max Waller

Police have displayed a huge show of force outside a Gold Coast court where three bikies appeared today for the alleged murder of a rival.

It was 4am on June 23 last year, when Max Waller told his girlfriend he was ducking downstairs from their Broadbeach apartment to, in his words, 'sort something out'.

Within the hour he was dead with 28 stab wounds - the fatal one was an 18mm gash straight to the heart.

This morning his accused killers faced court for the first time, their friends and family closely tailed by police.

Mongols bikie Wade Yates-Taui was extradited from the United States yesterday, and charged with manslaughter.

Ben Mortimer, 27, has been charged with murder, as has 20-year-old Cohen Smith.

Mr Smith’s parents are horrified and are standing by him, maintaining his innocence.

His lawyer Colin Greatorix has questioned the police case.

“There are some issues in there that just don’t hold water,” he said.

“There are some allegations in there which he maintains are completely untrue and unfounded.”

Police will allege the murder plot was hatched at the Finks clubhouse by Mr Yates-Taui and Mr Mortimer.

Mr Smith was then allegedly told to 'antagonise' Mr Waller, and allegedly started sending a series of volatile text messages which ended in a confrontation and ultimately, Mr Waller's death outside the Carmel By The Sea Apartments.

CCTV vision allegedly shows the trio's car arriving and leaving the scene.

All three men will face court again in October.