A 33-year-old man discovered dead on the banks of a central Queensland creek last month was “brutally” decapitated by a co-worker, police allege.

The remains of meatworker Syeid Alam were found near a creek running off Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River on April 16.

On Tuesday, police charged a 34-year-old man with his murder.

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Detective Inspector Darrin Shadlow described Mr Alam’s death as one of the worst he’d seen in the Capricornia region.

“The victim was decapitated … quite brutally,” he said.

The pair, described by police as “close associates”, worked together at the local meatworks.

However, investigators refused to speculate on whether they had a disagreement prior to Mr Alam’s death.

He was last seen on April 5 by his wife, who reported him missing the next day after he failed to return home.

Ten days later his body was discovered near a creek.

Police later found Mr Alam’s belongings at a popular boat ramp and spent two weeks combing a Dean Street home, believed to be that of his alleged killer.

Investigators believe Mr Alam was killed shortly after he disappeared.

“We want to make it clear to the Rockhampton public that it wasn’t a random attack,” Insp Shadlow said.

The Berserker man was arrested and charged with murder and interfering with a corpse and faced Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday.