Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Danielle Easey's alleged killer impersonated her until body found, court hears

The New South Wales Supreme Court has been told accused murderer Carol Marie McHenry impersonated Danielle Easey for weeks until her body was found.

Ms Easey's badly decomposed body was found in Cockle Creek, near Newcastle, on August 31, 2019.

The court heard Justin Kent Dilosa and Ms McHenry acted together as part of a joint criminal enterprise.

They have both pleaded not guilty to her murder and blamed each other.

After more than six weeks of evidence, Crown prosecutor John Stanhope has started to deliver his closing address.

He stressed that jurors must keep an open mind.

"You must put aside any feelings of outrage or anger towards the accused and what you are asked to do is consider the evidence and decide for yourself what the evidence means," Mr Stanhope said.

He told the court that Ms McHenry had attempted to perpetuate a myth that Ms Easey was still alive.

"Ms McHenry was in possession of a number items of the deceased, including a mobile phone, laptop and a grey top with a Nike tick," he said.

Mr Stanhope said Ms McHenry communicated with Ms Easey's mother after her death.

"There is also evidence Ms McHenry impersonated Ms Easey on Facebook up until the 31st, when the body was discovered," he said.

"She continued to communicate with [Ms Easey's mother] in an attempt by Ms McHenry to divert attention [from her]."

Mr Stanhope said Ms Easey's mother was in a state of shock after she learnt her daughter was dead.

"Initially her reaction was one of disbelief, and she told police that it was only within the past day or so she had been having contact with her daughter via Facebook Messenger," he said.

'Acting to destroy evidence'

Mr Stanhope said Mr Dilosa's alleged guilt should not be in dispute even if the jury struggled to convict both of the accused.

He said there was "a strong circumstantial case" and that there were "admissions made" by Mr Dilosa to four people he knew.

Mr Stanhope also referred to a knife allegedly owned by Mr Dilosa that the court heard was used in the attack and later thrown into a bonfire.

"Mr Dilosa was acting to destroy evidence and that is relevant, because the knife being burnt and broken into pieces was his knife," he said.

The prosecutor also told the court that Mr Dilosa acted alone to get rid of Ms Easey's body after storing her remains in a cupboard in the back of his van.

The court heard that on the day her body was found the two co-accused were allegedly playing poker machines using money obtained from Ms Easey's mother while Ms McHenry was impersonating her.

Court told of $25k bounty

The Crown told jurors that it was not in dispute that the co-accused, Ms Easey and witnesses were involved in the local drug scene.

"During this trial you have heard a great deal of evidence that reflects on Danielle Easey and the people connected to her," Mr Stanhope said.

"There is evidence of drug use, methamphetamine, ice, home invasions, the stealing of safes and people being ripped off.

"There is no getting away [from the fact] that that was the life Danielle Easey was living at the time and her death reflects how she was living her life."

The court heard evidence that Ms McHenry and Mr Dilosa killed Ms Easey because she had made threats about naming names "when the crack ran out".

The court was also told she had a $25,000 contract on her life at the time she was killed.

Closing arguments continue.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.