A jury has been asked to 'join the dots' when considering the evidence against two former lovers accused with the murder of Risdon Vale tattooist Dwayne Robert Davies.
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The Hobart Supreme Court has heard closing submissions in the matter of Bradley Scott Purkiss and Margaret Anne Otto.
The pair stand accused with the 2017 murder of Ms Otto's husband Mr Davies.
Both have pleaded not guilty.
Read more from the trial
- Wife and best friend stand trial for tattooist's murder
- Tattooist killed in cannabis grow shed, court hears
- Dwayne Robert Davies 'obsessed' with television anti-hero Walter White
- Accused told police he was being framed for best friend's murder
- Court hears of accused killers' secret affair
- Accused denies knowledge of murder plot
Crown prosecutor Madeleine Wilson said because the case against Mr Purkiss and Ms Otto was circumstantial, the jury was encouraged to draw inferences from the evidence given during the trial.
Over 21 sitting days, the jury heard from 48 witnesses, saw 110 exhibits and watched 14 hours of video evidence.
The Crown alleged Mr Purkiss lured Mr Davies to his Elderslie home under a "false pretense" in order to kill him as part of a plot with Ms Otto on May 26, 2017.
Ms Wilson said it was important for the jury to consider the relationships between the co-accused and the victim at the time of Mr Davies' death.
"The relationship between Ms Otto and Mr Davies had never been an easy one," Ms Wilson said.
"[Mr Davies] could be cantankerous, difficult and needy.
"In the months leading to May 2017, the relationship was beginning to take a toll on Ms Otto."
Ms Wilson said the relationship was also strained by financial difficulties, with evidence the couple owed between $264,000 to $320,000.
This included a $30,000 business loan, $40,000 tax debt and $20,000 in credit card debt.
In an interview, Ms Wilson said Ms Otto told police she feared if she left Mr Davies he would find her, and she would have to leave the state to get away from him.
"The picture she paints is of someone who is trapped in their relationship and can see now way out of it," Ms Wilson said.
It was alleged Ms Otto met with Mr Purkiss at her workplace on the morning of May 26 to finalise the plan to kill Mr Davies.
Ms Wilson said Ms Otto missed the funeral of her best friend Michelle Peck's aunt, and lied to Ms Peck about the reason she could not attend, to meet Mr Purkiss.
"You might wonder, what would be of such importance that she would betray her best friend to meet with Mr Purkiss?" Ms Wilson said.
Ms Wilson alleged Ms Otto was at all times trying to disguise her role in the murder.
"If she had not been part of this plan to kill Mr Davies, why didn't she tell someone [Mr Purkiss told her he killed Mr Davies]?" she said.
"Why would he go to her house to tell her he killed Mr Davies if she was not involved?"
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Ms Wilson told the jury to be careful when accepting the evidence given by Mr Purkiss.
"Mr Purkiss was an unimpressive witness who showed himself to be a liar," she said.
"I suggest that in his evidence Mr Purkiss has downplayed his relationship with Ms Otto."
The Crown invited the jury to infer from DNA evidence, such as Ms Otto's DNA on the inside of a shirt belonging to Mr Purkiss and on Mr Purkiss' hands, the two accused were in a close relationship.
Ms Wilson said Mr Purkiss had his own reasons to kill Mr Davies.
"He's not afraid of confrontation and he's not afraid of putting people in their spot," she said.
It was alleged Mr Purkiss harboured resentment towards Mr Davies due to a debt owed of $17,800, the fact Mr Davies' frequent visits to Mr Purkiss' Elderslie home were impacting his relationship with his partner Jillian Roberts, and he felt Mr Davies was using him to get access to cannabis.
Ms Wilson said although there was no direct evidence of the murder, including the fact the gun used to kill Mr Davies could not be identified, there was no other reasonable explanation for Mr Davies' murder other than it been committed by Mr Purkiss after being incited by Ms Otto.
"I suggest there is motive, opportunity, conduct and lies that are inconsistent with the parties having nothing to do with the killing," she said.
"The number and extent of the lies told by the accused is suggestive of them having discussed what to tell the family and authorities.
"The evidence of Ms Otto's lies are inconsistent with her only becoming aware of the murder after it was committed."
Ms Otto's defence lawyer Greg Melick said his client was only guilty of accessory after the fact of murder, which she admitted to in interviews with police.
"Our case is Bradley Purkiss murderer Mr Davies," Mr Melick said.
Mr Melick said, after she became aware Mr Purkiss had killed Mr Davies, Ms Otto "foolishly" covered for him because she thought her comments to Mr Purkiss earlier that day about wanting her husband dead may implicate her in the murder.
"If this was planned, and this wasn't just an overreaction by Mr Purkiss to Ms Otto's woes - why would they do so many silly things?" Mr Melick said.
"Why plan to murder him on the night before his grandson's birthday party?
"Why would she rob her son of the father he loved?"
Mr Melick asked the jury to consider evidence about Ms Otto's good character.
"She's been obviously distressed through this trial," he said.
"Compare that with Bradley Purkiss - he's arrogant. He's a master manipulator. He's a strong character."
Mr Purkiss' defence lawyer Alan Hensley said forensic evidence in the trial created doubt about the location of the murder which the Crown alleged occurred in Mr Purkiss' cannabis grow shed.
"The state's case relies heavily on a narrow time window, in that time Jillian Roberts was away and Mr Davies was at Elderslie," Mr Hensley said.
"There was no other opportunity for Mr Purkiss to commit the crime."
Mr Hensley said the forensic evidence was consistent with Mr Davies being killed at a different location.
"Mr Davies was murdered offsite somewhere between Friday and Sunday, maybe Monday," he said.
"That is a better explanation of the scientific evidence."
Mr Hensley said the evidence showed Mr Davies' body had to have been carried in and out of the shed, not dragged, indicating there was more than one person involved.
"[Mr Davies' body] is a dead weight of 90 kilograms," he said.
Mr Hensley will conclude his closing submissions on Thursday.