- Teenager in court over gruesome killing of stepdad
- By Chris Johnston, Shepparton
- The Age
- 13/01/2009 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: The Rooster ( 258 articles in 2009 )
An "unusual" relationship between a man and his stepdaughter allegedly preceded his murder.
A 19-YEAR-OLD from country Victoria accused of the gruesome murder of her stepfather told a friend the man "took photos" of her and would kill her if she went to the police.
The woman — who cannot be named because she is the victim of alleged sexual assaults — faced a committal hearing in the Shepparton Magistrates Court yesterday.
She was charged with murder last April after her stepfather's torso was found buried in the backyard of their Mooroopna home.
Police later found bags containing body parts in a public park, a toilet block and a landfill around Shepparton. It is understood the hearing will be told that the man's power tools were used to dismember his body.
The stepfather, 34, was a truck driver and diesel mechanic. He not married to the young woman's mother, to whom he had three young sons.
The hearing heard yesterday that he and the accused had an "unusual" relationship from when the girl was 14.
The Age understands that if the young woman is committed for trial in the Supreme Court, Robert Richter, QC, will represent her without fee, partly because of the case's strong relevance to Victoria's new defences to homicide legislation.
The hearing heard yesterday that the accused's friend, a 21-year-old floor tiler who is now her boyfriend, started spending more time with her early last year. After a night out in Melbourne, he told her he "liked" her. "She said 'I like you as well but nothing can happen'," he said. "Then she told me that (the stepfather) took photos of her" and that if she or anyone else went to the police he would "stab me straight in the heart"
The same witness told the hearing that on a camping trip, the stepfather had admitted he saw "nothing wrong" with him and his stepdaughter being "a couple" if he had split up with his de facto wife.
The young woman's mother said her de facto was a "control freak" whose behaviour changed after she gave birth to their third son in 2003, when he "took more interest" in the girl, then 14, often walking into the bathroom while she showered.
Over two years she confronted him between "four and six" times over the nature of his relationship with her daughter because the pair seemed "very close" and he would control who she could see and how she dressed.
The man and his stepdaughter started going to Shepparton nightclubs and rock concerts together.
The dead man's mother said she had seen the young woman sitting on his knee regularly and "draping her legs" over his on a bean-bag.
Another witness, a neighbour from Mooroopna, said she had overheard violent arguments between the young woman and her stepfather.
The hearing continues today.
A 19-YEAR-OLD from country Victoria accused of the gruesome murder of her stepfather told a friend the man "took photos" of her and would kill her if she went to the police.
The woman — who cannot be named because she is the victim of alleged sexual assaults — faced a committal hearing in the Shepparton Magistrates Court yesterday.
She was charged with murder last April after her stepfather's torso was found buried in the backyard of their Mooroopna home.
Police later found bags containing body parts in a public park, a toilet block and a landfill around Shepparton. It is understood the hearing will be told that the man's power tools were used to dismember his body.
The stepfather, 34, was a truck driver and diesel mechanic. He not married to the young woman's mother, to whom he had three young sons.
The hearing heard yesterday that he and the accused had an "unusual" relationship from when the girl was 14.
The Age understands that if the young woman is committed for trial in the Supreme Court, Robert Richter, QC, will represent her without fee, partly because of the case's strong relevance to Victoria's new defences to homicide legislation.
The hearing heard yesterday that the accused's friend, a 21-year-old floor tiler who is now her boyfriend, started spending more time with her early last year. After a night out in Melbourne, he told her he "liked" her. "She said 'I like you as well but nothing can happen'," he said. "Then she told me that (the stepfather) took photos of her" and that if she or anyone else went to the police he would "stab me straight in the heart"
The same witness told the hearing that on a camping trip, the stepfather had admitted he saw "nothing wrong" with him and his stepdaughter being "a couple" if he had split up with his de facto wife.
The young woman's mother said her de facto was a "control freak" whose behaviour changed after she gave birth to their third son in 2003, when he "took more interest" in the girl, then 14, often walking into the bathroom while she showered.
Over two years she confronted him between "four and six" times over the nature of his relationship with her daughter because the pair seemed "very close" and he would control who she could see and how she dressed.
The man and his stepdaughter started going to Shepparton nightclubs and rock concerts together.
The dead man's mother said she had seen the young woman sitting on his knee regularly and "draping her legs" over his on a bean-bag.
Another witness, a neighbour from Mooroopna, said she had overheard violent arguments between the young woman and her stepfather.
The hearing continues today.
Source: https://www.theage.com.au/national/teenager-in-court-over-gruesome-killing-of-stepdad-20090112-7f8m.html?page=-1
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