Family's anguish after son killed in Perth

Andy Marshall. Photo / Supplied

Hours before he was killed at a Perth pub, Andy Marshall rang his mum in Tauranga for Mother's Day.

And yesterday his father spoke of the family's anguish when they learned Mr Marshall had been killed - less than a year after his nephew Scott Guy was shot dead in the driveway of his Feilding farm.

Mr Marshall, 29, died in a Perth hospital on Sunday night after being thrown through a window at the Ocean View Hotel. He fell 7m and suffered head injuries.

Stefan Pahia Schmidt, a 25-year-old associate of the Rock Machine gang, has been charged with murder.

Police phoned Mr Marshall's father Alan on Monday to deliver the news.

"[It was] just the worst call you would ever expect to get," he told the West Australian.

He said his son's murder was a shock, especially so soon after Mr Guy's death.

Mr Guy was found dead on July 8 last year. Last month, Ewen Macdonald - who is married to Mr Guy's younger sister, Anna - was charged with his murder.

"It's a little hard to believe ... they were close and all grew up together, the cousins, and had a good childhood together," said Alan Marshall.

He spoke of his last conversation with his son, when he called home for Mother's Day.

"We always had regular contact and the last time we spoke was on Sunday, when he rang his mum for Mother's Day. We had a good long chat then so that was lovely," he said. "We just told him we loved him and it was just lovely to have a good conversation."

Mr Marshall came home in January and joined his family on holiday, and then came back again after the earthquake hit Christchurch in February.

His brother Benjamin lives in Christchurch and Mr Marshall went to help him clean up the damage at his property.

He also helped around the suburbs.

Alan Marshall said his son, a roofing contractor, had moved to Perth just over two years ago for a "change in life".

"It was to be his first stop on his OE to Europe. But then the recession hit and there wasn't a lot of work in the UK [so] he settled and made a great lot of friends in Perth and loved it there," Alan Marshall said.

"We were planning a trip this year. But we hadn't gotten over there unfortunately. It's horrible, just horrible."

He said Mr Marshall's body would be brought home to New Zealand. It was unlikely any family would travel to Perth before the funeral, which was yet to be arranged.

He said Mr Marshall's passions were playing the drums, and his band Rich Widow, which he joined in January.

"They had just done some recording and Andrew was thrilled about that. He loved his drums and he did play them loud but it was all good fun and we're all a little bit musical so we all had a great time," his father said.

"He was a fun guy with lots of energy. He had an infectious way about him."