The family of an 82-year-old Gold Coast man charged with murdering his wife has offered him their "unwavering love and support".

Maxwell Beever is accused of killing his wife Robyn in their home in Varsity Lakes, where her body was found on Thursday afternoon.

He was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital where he remains in a stable condition under police guard.

READ MORE: Toxicology testing for Gold Coast murder accused

Mr Beever is "not in good health, and has not been for a number of years", his family said in a statement issued through their lawyer.

"Robyn and Max met when they were just 20 years old, and they have been together as a loving couple ever since, for more than 60 years.

"They were devoted to each other and, in their later years, the primary concern of each of them very obviously was the welfare of the other.

"Naturally, their family has been absolutely devastated by this entirely unexpected and deeply tragic turn of events, and in particular the awful loss of their mother.

"But their greatest concern now is for their aged father, who is not in good health, and has not been for a number of years.

"He has their unwavering love and support, and they are fully committed to his welfare."

The family asked for the press and the public to respect their privacy " to allow them to absorb and cope with the enormity of this unfolding tragedy".

They thanked those who had offered their sympathy and support.

Mr Beever has been charged with the murder of his wife.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday morning, Queensland Police's Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said Mr Beever "doesn't have any significant physical injuries" but has undergone toxicology testing.

Detective Inspector Ahearn said the elderly man is "in a distressed state" and has refused to be interviewed by police.

He declined to detail any medical conditions the 82-year-old may have, but said "the physicality of that gentleman is something that continues to be under investigation".

He noted that the toxicology results would likely "give us a clearer picture on what might have gone on".

Neither Mr Beever nor his wife have any criminal history and this is the first time they have had formal contact with police.

Detective Inspector Ahearn said it is believed Ms Beever likely died on Thursday, or possibly as far back as 6pm the night before.

Detective Inspector Ahearn has called for anyone who was in the area during that time to come forward, especially anyone who may have heard anything that may assist investigators.

He described Ms Beever's death as "a tragic incident with a tragic outcome".

"Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of this woman," he said.

No application for bail was made and the matter was adjourned until next March 5.

A 14-year-old girl has been found safe and well after disappearing from a Brisbane home late last night.

Police issued a public appeal to help find the girl after she was seen leaving a home in Bracken Ridge at around 10.30pm last night.

Police held concerns for the girl as her disappearance was out of character.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au or call 1800 333 000.

Specialist firearm detectives from Victoria Police have arrested 18 people in Geelong and its surrounds as part of a major crackdown on illegal guns and other weapons.

The crackdown, named Operation Shield, saw 29 properties raided since Tuesday, February 16.

In total, four guns, five imitation guns, ammunition and 21 other banned weapons including knives, swords, knuckledusters and tasers were seized.

READ MORE: Sydney man and woman both charged after row culminates in 'stabbing'

Police also seized more than 50 grams of methamphetamine from several homes, as well as narcotic plants and other illicit drugs.

A number of people were handed Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPO), banning them from owning a gun, while others already subject to a FPO were searched for weapons.

One of these, a 39-year-old Alfredton man, was arrested after police found him in possession of a shotgun and ammunition during a compliance check on February 16.

He has also been charged with 50 counts of handling stolen goods.

As well as the weapons, police seized a campervan, a motorbike and identity cards from the man's property – all allegedly stolen during a series of robberies in Geelong and Broadmeadows since October last year.

In total, the allegedly stolen goods were worth around $100,000.

The man has been denied bail and is expected to appear in Geelong Magistrates Court on March 16.

In a separate incident, a 39-year-old Grovedale man was arrested during an FPO compliance check on Tuesday, February 23.

He has been charged with possessing an imitation firearm and a firearm-related item and a number of drug offences.

During raids of his home, police seized a raft of weapons including a double-barrelled shotgun, an imitation handgun, an expandable baton, a cattle prod and a laser pointer.

They also found the illicit drug GHB, cannabis plants, cannabis and methylamphetamine.

The accused was denied bail to appear in court on April 9.

"We make absolutely no apologies for regularly checking on those people within our community who police have deemed are too dangerous to possess a firearm," said Detective Acting Sergeant Brendan O'Mahoney from the Geelong Firearms Prohibition team.

"There are serious potential repercussions associated with breaching an FPO, with a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years."

A woman and man are both facing domestic violence charges following a row inside a south-west Sydney apartment during which the man was allegedly stabbed.

Emergency services were called to the unit on Minto Road in Minto, near Campbelltown, to reports of a stabbing at around 1.10pm yesterday.

When they arrived, they found a 23-year-old man with stab wounds to the chest inside with a woman of the same age.

Paramedics treated the man and he was taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition.

The woman became aggressive when police attempted to arrest her, allegedly pushing a female officer to the ground.

She was arrested and taken to Campbelltown Police Station.

The 23-year-old has now been charged with reckless wounding (domestic violence-related), assaulting a police officer and resisting police.

The Campbelltown man was released from hospital at 5pm yesterday and was arrested and taken to Campbelltown Police Station.

He has now been charged with breaching an Apprehended Violence Order and destroying or damaging property (domestic violence-related).

Both have been refused police bail and are due to face Parramatta courts today.

People needing support can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, or Lifeline on 13 11 14. If you need immediate help, call Triple Zero.

A woman has been interview by police over the alleged hit-and-run of a lollipop man near a North Melbourne school this week.

Jim Tzimas had just finished helping a group of children to cross outside a school on Findon Road in Epping at around 9am on Monday and was removing flags when he was hit by a car.

READ MORE: Family of injured lollipop man calls on driver to come forward

The collision caused the lollipop man to fall hard into the gutter and hit his head, with his hip and upper body also badly hurt.

Witnesses allege the female driver of the small silver sedan stopped about 100-200 metres up the road and paused for 10 seconds before taking off again.

Highway patrol officers arrested a South Morang woman over the alleged hit-and-run yesterday.

READ MORE: Baby boy declared missing by police, last seen near Victoria-NSW border

The 50-year-old was taken to Mernda Police Station, where she was interviewed by police about the incident.

She was later released pending further inquiries.

Mr Tzimas remains at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and is awaiting scan results to confirm any internal injuries.

Sergeant John Henderson said it was fortunate parents were still around at the time of the collision and were able to offer assistance, but warned the situation could have been much worse.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage from Meadow Glean Drive from 8:45am to 9:15am on February 22, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

A child has died in a crash overnight in Rerewhakaaitu.Police have confirmed one person has died in the crash on State Highway 38.Emergency services were called to a report of a vehicle that rolled on SH38 between Brett and Rerewhakaaitu…

President Joe Biden headed to Texas Friday on his first trip to a major disaster site since he took office a little over a month ago. The president's empathy will be on full display as he and his wife, Jill, survey damage caused by severe winter weather and encourage people to get their coronavirus shots.

The brutal winter weather across the South over Valentine's Day weekend battered multiple states, with Texas bearing the brunt of unseasonably frigid conditions that caused widespread power outages and frozen pipes that burst and flooded homes. Millions of residents lost heat and running water.

At least 40 people in Texas died as a result of the storm and, although the weather has returned to more normal temperatures, more than 1 million residents were still under orders to boil water before drinking it.

READ MORE: Why some Texans are getting sky-high energy bills

Biden plans to meet with local leaders to discuss the storm, relief efforts and progress toward recovery and visit a food bank and meet some volunteers. He is to be accompanied by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

While in Houston, the Democratic president also planned to visit a mass coronavirus vaccination center at NRG Stadium that is run by the federal government. Biden on Thursday commemorated the 50 millionth COVID-19 vaccination since he took office, halfway toward his goal of 100 million shots by his 100th day in office. That celebration followed a moment of silence to mark the passage earlier this week of 500,000 US deaths blamed on the disease.

The post-storm debate in Texas has centred on the state maintaining its own electrical grid and lack of storm preparation, including weatherization of key infrastructure. Some state officials initially blamed the blackouts on renewable energy even though Texas is a heavy user of fossil fuels like oil and gas.

The White House said Biden's purpose in visiting would be to support, not scold.

"The president doesn't view the crisis and the millions of people who've been impacted by it as a Democratic or Republican issue," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. "He views it as an issue where he's eager to get relief, to tap into all the resources in the federal government, to make sure the people of Texas know we're thinking about them, we're fighting for them and we're going to continue working on this as they're recovering."

Psaki said policy discussions about better weatherization and preparation could come later, "but right now, we're focused on getting relief to the people of the state."

Biden has declared a major disaster in Texas and asked federal agencies to identify additional resources to aid the recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent emergency generators, bottled water, ready-to-eat meals and blankets.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said in an interview that he didn't know what more the federal government could do to help because the failures were at the state level. But Henry, a Republican who is the highest county official in the suburban Houston county, said that if Biden "thinks it's important to visit, then come on down."

Biden wanted to make the trip last week, but said at the time that he held back because he didn't want his presence and entourage to detract from the recovery effort.

Biden, whose life has been marked by personal tragedy, is known for his ability to empathise with others and their suffering. His first wife and infant daughter were killed in a car collision in 1972. His son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.

No Texas lawmakers were expected to hitch a ride home aboard Air Force One due to "limitations on space" on the plane, Psaki said.

It was unclear whether Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz would join Biden in the state. Members of Congress often tag along when a president visits their state.

The state's other senator, Republican John Cornyn, planned to join Biden, a spokesman said.

Cruz, an ally of former President Donald Trump and one of a handful of GOP lawmakers who had objected to Congress certifying Biden's victory, was scheduled to address the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Friday morning, a spokesman said.

Cruz was recently criticised for taking his family to Cancun, Mexico, while millions of Texans shivered in their unheated homes during the disaster. Cruz later said the trip was a mistake. Cornyn's plans were unclear.

Coincidentally, Houston also was the destination for Trump's first presidential visit to a disaster area in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic flooding that August.

Trump, who is not known for displays of empathy, did not meet with storm victims on the visit. He returned four days later and urged people who had relocated to a shelter to "have a good time."

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