A coroner has confirmed the inquest into Gold Coast influencer Ivona Jovanovic is to determine “the cause of death” rather than targeting her ex-boyfriend, who had previously been charged with her manslaughter.
In 2019, emergency services arrived at a home in Highland Park after she had been reportedly shot in the chest. By the time she arrived via ambulance to the Gold Coast University Hospital, she had been declared dead.
Her ex-boyfriend, Christos Panagakos, was charged with manslaughter in 2021, but always maintained his innocence. In 2023, the charges were dropped due to no “reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction for that offence”.
The new inquest into Jovanovic’s death is being conducted by coroner Donald MacKenzie, and he told the court his role wasn’t to prosecute, but to find out the truth.
“My main concern is twofold, but it’s joint, and that is firstly determining the cause of the death and [secondly], it’s not an attempt to fix up a prosecution that was discontinued,” the coroner said.
“It is an open investigation into the investigation and for that reason I do not want it to be seen that Christos Panagakos is a target for his arguable role, whatever that may ultimately be found to be, in this death from a criminal perspective.”
However, MacKenzie noted that Panagakos should seek legal representation, seeing as he was previously charged with manslaughter in connection with Jovanovic’s death.
“Nevertheless, he needs to be aware of the fact there’s going to be evidence placed [and] in terms of natural justice he needs an opportunity to answer,” the coroner continued.
“We have been informed that a lawyer was poised to act for him but we’ve heard nothing from that lawyer. I wanted to place that on the record right at the outset so it’s very clear to everybody what the purpose of this inquest is and we’re very concerned about natural justice being performed for Mr Panagakos.”
Kim Bryson, a lawyer assisting the coroner, also told the court that Panagakos was initially questioned by police after he returned to the scene of Jovanovic’s shooting.
She claimed he told the police that he had plans to go to dinner with many friends on the night Jovanovic was shot, but wouldn’t reveal what the plans entailed or who his friends were.
The court also heard that Panagakos told police he was in the home on a lower level when there was “a loud bang” and he went to investigate.
He then told police he saw Jovanovic “lying on the ground”, unresponsive. Lying next to her was a “handgun with a long barrel”.
“He explained to police that he left the scene before police arrived… [because] he didn’t want to be blamed for what occurred,” Bryson said.
The coroner’s counsel went on to say the autopsy revealed Jovanovic had died from her gunshot wound to the chest, but it was inconclusive as to what distance the gun had been fired from.
The coronial inquest will take place from November 18 and Panagakos will be called to give evidence, along with 15 other witnesses.
Lead image: Facebook/Christos Panagakos, Ivona Jovanovic
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