National

Murder charge after clan feuding in remote community

Apr 20, 2026

The remote Aboriginal community of Milingimbi in the NT — NT police responded to violent confrontations at the Aboriginal community of Milingimbi on April 14. -AAP Image

A man has been charged with murder after a suspected fatal stabbing amid clan feuding at a remote island community.

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A 26-year-old man was found dead after police responded to violent confrontations involving bladed weapons at Northern Territory's Aboriginal community of Milingimbi on April 14.

He had "at least one puncture-like injury" to his back following the large-scale disturbance, police said.

Extra officers were flown to the island, about 450km east of Darwin, along with major crime squad detectives and forensic officers.

A 20-year-old man was charged with murder and remanded in custody to appear in Darwin Local Court on Monday, police said.

NT Police Acting Commander Mark Grieve said last week the death came on the back of a build-up of tensions and ongoing unrest between family groups in the past few weeks.

In recent months, there has been a series of violent confrontations sparked by clan tensions in remote NT Aboriginal communities and involving spears, bows and arrows and bladed weapons.

Milingimbi is the largest of the Crocodile Islands group off the coast of Arnhem Land and was the site of a church mission and an RAAF base.