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Murder charge laid after man stabbed to death in Cairns shopping centre

A man will face court today, charged with the stabbing murder of a 51-year-old man inside a popular Far North Queensland shopping centre.

Police allege the 38-year-old slashed the man — a stranger — across the throat about 8am on Wednesday. The older man died about 20 minutes later.

Police locked down the centre and launched a manhunt before an arrest was made.

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One person is in custody following the 'suspicious' death of a man at Cairns Central shopping centre this morning.

The victim is believed to be a regular at the Cairns Central shopping centre who was "well known and well liked", according to locals.

They say he would often spend days sitting in the centre just reading a book.

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Police say many details are still unclear, but it appears the two men exchanged words on the ground level before the conversation turned into an argument.

The 38-year-old was due to face the Cairns Magistrates Court today.