Brothers accused of killing stepfather outside primary school face court

DNA testing in the investigation of two brothers accused of murdering their stepfather outside a primary school in Melbourne's south-east could take up to three months, a court has heard.

Connor Harnett, 21, and Liam Harnett, 22, allegedly bashed Andre Szep, 63, so badly in front of parents and students of Strathaird Primary School in Narre Warren South last month that he remained in hospital for a week with critical injuries before he died.

Both brothers were initially charged with recklessly causing serious injury and remanded while Mr Szep, of Clyde, was hospitalised, but those charges have since been upgraded to murder.

Appearing briefly in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court via video link from custody this morning, Connor Harnett sat with his hands clasped and shook his head as the prosecution described Mr Szep's death as "a tragic murder".

The court heard police needed up to three months to complete DNA and forensic testing, and that investigators were still looking for missing physical evidence.

The exact nature of that evidence remains unclear.

Dressed in a dark green jumper with a mullet and a tattoo on his right hand, Connor Harnett listened intently to the proceedings and could be seen repeatedly shaking his head throughout the hearing.

Magistrate Stephen Ballek instructed police to provide a summary of their prospective DNA evidence within the next week, while the court heard investigators were still waiting for the results of a post-mortem.

Liam Harnett also briefly appeared via video link before the court in a separate hearing.

Dressed in a khaki bomber jacket, he sat and looked directly ahead as Magistrate Ballek repeated the same instructions to prosecutors heard in his brother's hearing.

Many parents and students are believed to have witnessed the alleged killing during afternoon pick-up at Strathaird Primary School about 3:15pm on June 12.

It is understood Mr Szep was allegedly beaten with an object.

The Harnett brothers will return to court for a committal hearing on November 11.