Queensland father, son refused bail in esky torture killing case

A father and son have faced a Brisbane court, accused of torturing a man who was kept locked in an esky before he was murdered and his burnt remains dumped in a forest.

Police say 33-year-old Gold Coast man Shaun Barker suffered a horrific death after he was abducted from a Broadbeach service station on December 10.

It's alleged he was taken to Cooloola Cove near Tin Can Bay, north of the Sunshine Coast, and that he was tortured, kept in an esky for an extended period, and then killed before his charred body was dumped in the nearby Toolara State Forest.

Forestry workers found his skull there in April this year, and Mr Barker's other remains were found during an intensive search.

A father and son, aged 45 and 22, from Cooloola Cove, faced the Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged over the murder. They were remanded in custody, with the case adjourned until next month.

A Gold Coast man, 37, is also due to face court in Toowoomba on Monday over the killing.

Mr Barker was reported missing by his family in January this year, sparking a long-running investigation that culminated in the three arrests.