Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Man Accused of Killing Partner Claims Innocence Due to Lack of Evidence
In a recent murder trial in Victoria’s Supreme Court, Andrew Baker, 56, is facing accusations of killing his partner, Sarah Gatt, 39, before hiding her body. However, his barrister, John Saunders, has argued that there is “no evidence” to support the claim that she died a violent death.
Discovery of Remains in Kensington Flat
In a shocking turn of events, police located the remains of Sarah Gatt in the upstairs bathtub of her Kensington flat in January 2018. Prosecutors allege that she had been killed approximately eight months prior to the discovery, then concealed under a blanket and household items.
Defense Claims Lack of Evidence
During his closing address to the jury, Mr. Saunders urged them to find Mr. Baker not guilty, stating that there is no concrete evidence linking him to the alleged murder. He emphasized that forensic pathologists were unable to determine a cause of death due to decomposition, leaving room for other possible explanations such as a drug overdose, natural causes, or accident.
Alternative Hypotheses Presented
Mr. Saunders also proposed that if the jury believed Ms. Gatt was indeed killed, a “reasonable” alternative hypothesis could be that another individual, specifically Leona Rei-Paku, was involved. Despite this suggestion, Ms. Rei-Paku is not facing any accusations of wrongdoing in the case.
Continuation of Closing Address
As the trial is set to resume, Mr. Saunders will continue delivering his closing address on Tuesday. The defense remains adamant in their stance that Mr. Baker should be acquitted due to the lack of substantial evidence linking him to the alleged crime.
Related Topics: Melbourne
For more information on this ongoing trial and related topics, explore news articles about Melbourne.
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