Ristevski Murder

Borce Ristevski to stand trial for wife Karen Ristevski's murder

Prosecutors allege the 54-year-old killed Ms Ristevski, 47, at their Avondale Heights home in Melbourne's west in June 2016.

Her body was found in February 2017 in bushland near Mount Macedon, north-west of Melbourne.

Mr Ristevski has always maintained his innocence, and today re-entered a plea of not guilty.

Defence lawyers had argued for the murder charge to be downgraded to manslaughter.

But Magistrate Suzanne Cameron said although the evidence was circumstantial, the prosecution had given sufficient evidence about Mr Ristevski's alleged behaviour after his wife's disappearance that showed there could be murderous intent.

"I must take the prosecution case at its highest," she said.

"Given the nature, extent and duration of the post-offence conduct, I'm of the view that it would be open to a jury to find that Mr Ristevski caused the death of Karen Ristevski and had murderous intent," she said.

The magistrate said it wasn't her job to take the role of the Supreme Court Justice who would be instructing the jury by downgrading the charge at this stage.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-02/borce-ristevski-to-stand-trial-for-murder-wife-karen-ristevski/10064906

Good!

The hypoid bone?  That would indicate strangulation?

Karen Ristevski autopsy reveals she had broken bone in neck, court hears

An autopsy revealed a fracture in a small bone in Karen Risteveski's neck but it could have been damaged after her death, a medical expert has told a Melbourne court.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-24/karen-ristevski-committal-boken-bone-neck/10029550

A professor of forensic medicine has given evidence at a committal hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for Borce Ristevski to stand trial charged with his wife's murder.

Mr Ristevski, 54, is accused of murdering the 47-year-old at their Avondale Heights home in June 2016 before dumping her body in bushland an hour north of Melbourne.

Borce Ristevski facing second week of witness evidence over wife’s alleged murder.

LAWYERS for Borce Ristevski have cast doubt on evidence tracing his movements via mobile phone pings on the day his wife disappeared.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/borce-ristevski-facing-second-week-of-witness-evidence-over-wifes-alleged-murder/news-story/cc328376008775f42f67fb1011957681

I hope nobody has screwed up ... who is gonna pay the Lawyer?  I thought Borce was in deep debt!

The Grappler wrote:

Hate to say it on principle - but I always felt he was guilty...... but I really shouldn't say that.  What a shame that relationships can go so bad.

I agree. It will all "come out in the wash", no doubt! Guess we will have to wait and see.

Witnesses give evidence on second day of Borce Ristevski committal hearing

THE daughter of accused wife killer Borce Ristevski has made an emotional appearance in court giving evidence at her father’s committal hearing for the first time.

THE daughter of accused wife killer Borce Ristevski has made an emotional appearance in court, saying her parents regularly fought and it was common for her mum to wander off when upset.

Sarah Ristevski, 22, was called to give evidence on the second day of a court hearing into the death of her mother, Karen. She became emotional and took a lengthy pause while on the witness stand.

Her father, 54, is accused of murdering Ms Ristevski, 47, at their Avondale Heights home in Melbourne’s west on the morning of June 29, 2016.

Mr Ristevski has strenuously denied any involvement in the death of his wife.

Under cross-examination by Mr Ristevski’s defence lawyer David Hallowes, Ms Ristevski told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court her parents fought every few weeks but her father was “the calming influence” and “never demonstrative”.

“I didn’t grow up in a household where there was lots of arguing,” Ms Ristevski said.

“Dad was a calming influence. Mum would get annoyed quickly. Dad was always the calm one, calming her down.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/crime/witnesses-give-evidence-on-second-day-of-borce-ristevski-committal-hearing/news-story/59b5d470b79a3bf7eabce2b4b129aa42

Hate to say it on principle - but I always felt he was guilty...... but I really shouldn't say that. What a shame that relationships can go so bad.

Witnesses begin giving evidence in Borce Ristevski committal hearing

THE lead prosecutor in the case against Borce Ristevski says the accused killer tried to drive for Uber on the afternoon his wife went missing.

The Crown’s barrister Matt Fisher told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday that Mr Ristevski could not access the ride-sharing app on his phone so drove around for 30 minutes and collected no passengers.

Mr Fisher says it’s part of a story Mr Ristevski told police that included “numerous discrepancies” and made it difficult for them to “rule him out as a suspect” in the disappearance of his wife, Karen.

The comments came on the first day of a two-week pre-trial hearing to determine whether Mr Ristevski will face trial over her alleged murder.

With his hair cropped and beard trimmed, Mr Ristevski entered the dock wearing a charcoal suit over a white shirt, without a tie.

“As far as today goes, it is proposed to call four witnesses,” prosecutor Matt Fisher told the court.

Those witnesses include an insect specialist, Parks Victoria ranger and a customer from the fashion boutique that Ms Ristevski owned.

Ms Ristevski, 47 went missing from the pair’s $1.1 million Avondale Heights mansion, in Melbourne’s northwest, in June 2016.

Her body was found between two logs in bushland at the Mount Macedon Regional Park eight months later and Mr Ristevski was charged in December 2017.

Mr Fisher told the court Mr Ristevski told two different stories to police in the days after she went missing.

In one story, Mr Ristevski told police that on the morning his wife disappeared, they had fought about their finances in an upstairs room before she walked out of the house.

In another story, police claim he told them they fought downstairs and she left by a different door.
The site where Karen Ristevski's body was found at Mount Macedon. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The site where Karen Ristevski's body was found at Mount Macedon. Picture: Nicole GarmstonSource:News Corp Australia

Mr Ristevski, 54 has strenuously denied any involvement in the death of his wife.

He told police that he failed to report his wife missing on June 29, 2016, because they often fought and she regularly left the house after arguments.

On the night of her disappearance, Mr Ristevski and his daughter Sarah had dinner with his parents. Police allege he told them Ms Ristevski was “at the shop” the pair owned, Bella Blue, which was draining their finances and had left them in significant debt.

Police say Mr Ristevski did not tell Sarah that her mother was missing on the day she went missing or ask whether she had heard from her mother.

The last conversation Mr Ristevski and his wife had was relayed to the court. Mr Ristevski told police his wife said “I’m going because I can’t think straight” before leaving the home.

Mr Ristevski claims he drove his wife’s 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK coupe hours after she went missing because he believed it needed fuel.

But Mr Fisher told the court Mr Ristevski filled the tank the night before and was “well aware of the fuel level”.

In new details revealed to court, Mr Fisher said Ms Ristevski’s skull and feet were discovered under leaf litter and sticks. She was not wearing shoes or socks.

Magistrate Suzanne Cameron will hear from nearly 30 witnesses at the pre-trial hearing, including the couple’s daughter Sarah and possibly Ristevski’s son Anthony Rickard.

Rickard, 34, allegedly dodged police for months because he didn’t want to give evidence at his father’s hearing, but he was arrested and faced court himself on Sunday.

The court was told Rickard is a witness in the death of his stepmother and police had been attempting to serve him a witness summons since May.

Pathologist Melanie Archer was the first witness to give evidence on Monday.

Ms Archer told the court she could not say exactly when Ms Ristevski’s body was moved to Mount Macedon.

It is expected 28 other witnesses will appear over the next two weeks including family members, friends, police, an engineer, and a pathologist.

Sarah Ristevski is on the list of prosecution witnesses, as is her stepson Anthony Rickard, who was arrested at a Diggers Rest property about 12.20am on Sunday on outstanding warrants including a failing to answer a bail charge.

Mr Rickard, 34, had managed to dodge police from the Missing Persons Squad for several months as they attempted to serve him a witness summons.

The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court was told on Sunday evening Mr Rickard did not want to give evidence at his father’s hearing. He was remanded in custody.

The court on Monday heard both Sarah Ristevski and Mr Rickard will require legal advice before testifying.
Karen, Borce and Sarah Ristevski.

Karen, Borce and Sarah Ristevski.Source:Supplied

After Ms Ristevski went missing, police searched the Maribynong River and its banks near the family home for any trace of her. They followed pings from the couple’s mobile phones to transmitter towers along Melbourne’s Calder Freeway.

Ms Ristevski’s mobile phone was reportedly tracked near Gisborne, 40km northwest of the family home, while Mr Ristevski’s phone was detected near Diggers Rest, about 20km away.

Mobile phone data indicated that Mr Ristevski’s phone was switched off for 2.5 hours on the day she vanished.

Mr Fisher told the court on Monday that police allege Ms Ristevski and her phone were in the car he was driving on the day she disappeared.

Police allege she was murdered at the pair’s home before her body was moved.

At Ms Ristevski’s funeral in Essendon in March last year, Mr Ristevski helped carry her coffin. The family a press conference four months later that was quickly shut down when a reporter asked Mr Ristevski directly: “Did you kill Karen, Borce?”

Today will be the third time Mr Ristevski has appeared before a judge since he was charged with murder. He appeared briefly via video link in April where the court heard his defence team were wading their way through 22,000 pages of evidence, including transcripts of recorded phone calls.

Mr Ristevski’s lawyer, Sam Norton, argued the media was engaging in “deliberately toxic” reporting and his client was not being given a fair go.

Police have never released the cause of Ms Ristevski’s death.

HOW THE MYSTERY UNFOLDED

June 29, 2016

* Karen Ristevski last seen at her Melbourne home in Avondale Heights

* Her mobile phone pings off a tower in the Macedon Ranges

* A car similar to her black Mercedes SLK coupe spotted by CCTV cameras near Diggers Rest railway station December 19, 2016

* Police search grassland, waterways, creeks and farms

February 20, 2017

* Karen Ristevski’s body found at Mount Macedon Regional Park

March 6, 2017

* Funeral service held with husband Borce Ristevski a pallbearer, while daughter Sarah leads the procession August 31, 2017

* Police recreate the journey of Ms Ristevski on the day she went missing in a black Mercedes, identical to hers December 13, 2017

* Borce Ristevski charged with murder and faces court where a lawyer indicates a not-guilty plea. He is remanded in custody

April 18, 2018

* Ristevski returns to court where it’s revealed detectives tapped phone calls and planted listening devices as they investigated the alleged killing, compiling a 22,000-page evidence brief

* Ristevski is granted state-funded legal aid as he fights the allegations May 16, 2018

* Court told the pair’s daughter Sarah and Borce’s son Anthony are expected to give evidence at a committal hearing July 16, 2018

* Ristevski’s two-week committal hearing starts, aiming to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/crime/witnesses-begin-giving-evidence-in-borce-ristevski-committal-hearing/news-story/9071806267225bd688444ee09fa79fd3