A man accused of murdering a woman whose charred body was found inside a burnt-out tent texted a mate saying “when they get me I’m doing 10 years minimum”.
Nicholas James Cross appeared in the Supreme Court on Tuesday for the first day of his jury trial after earlier pleading not guilty to one count of murder over Maddison Parrott’s death.
Ms Parrott’s body was found inside the remains of a scorched tent at the Geelong Showgrounds in the early hours of December 4, 2018.
In his opening address Crown Prosecutor David Glynn told the court that the prosecution would allege Mr Cross did “what a guilty man would do”.
“He tried to cover his tracks … he burnt the tent she was in and burnt the car he drove there in,” he told the court.
Mr Glynn told the court Ms Parrott was staying at the showgrounds with a friend when the deadly altercation occurred.
On the morning of December 3 Mr Cross arrived at the camp, armed with a rifle when the pair got into a “heated discussion”, the court was told.
It was previously alleged that Mr Cross, who had no fixed address, visited his victim to buy drugs.
Prosecutors told the court Ms Parrott’s friend, who was inside the tent and on the phone to Centrelink at the time, saw Mr Cross fire his gun once, shooting the victim in the head before she collapsed to the ground.
The tent, which had Ms Parrott’s body inside, was later set alight from the inside.
It was completely burnt out by the time police arrived but they were still able to determine what happened to Ms Parrott, the court was told.
The Suzuki swift Mr Cross had arrived in was also found gutted by fire in a remote location nearby.
Mr Glynn told the court Mr Cross then started messaging co-accused Todd Daryl Sell asking for somewhere to stay.
He also messaged another friend saying: “When they get me I’m doing 10 years minimum.”
Mr Cross and Mr Sell, along with a third co-accused Tracy Anne Menzies, then drove to Sydney the following day. They were arrested in Greystanes in Sydney’s west two days after the alleged killing.
Police will allege Mr Cross was found in possession of a firearm.
Mr Sell and Ms Menzies are facing the lesser charge of accessory to murder after the fact.
But lawyers for Mr Cross are arguing that Ms Parrott’s friend who witnessed the shooting had fabricated their evidence and was the one who fired the shot.
The friend had told police they caught the train home to their mother’s house before going to sleep. After waking up, they went to the police station to tell them what happened.
Defence lawyer Glenn Casement told the court Ms Parrott’s friend must have had a “very good reason” not to immediately go to police and questioned what they did in between the shooting and informing police.
Mr Casement also told the court Mr Cross had a complete lack of motive and no reason to carry out the killing.
The trial continues.
