IN the weeks before she was bludgeoned and stabbed to death, her body wrapped in plastic and dumped in Cockle Creek, Danielle Easey told family members there was a $25,000 "bounty" on her head, a jury has heard.
Justin Kent Dilosa and Carol Marie McHenry have pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Easey, 29, at a house at Narara in August, 2019 and are currently facing a five-week trial in the NSW Supreme Court.
Ms McHenry has pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder.
After a delay due to jurors contracting COVID-19, the trial recommenced on Monday and heard evidence that Ms Easey had told her father and brother that there was a "bounty on her head" and it was either for $20,000 or $25,000.
Colin Easey visited his daughter in hospital in the weeks before her death and she told him she was in trouble because she had stolen a book and a safe key.
"She seemed concerned by this and that she would have to go into hiding," Mr Easey's statement said.
Mr Easey's statement said his daughter also told him that she was hanging around with "one of the big people at the top of the drug trade" and was "moving up the ranks in the drug trade and other people were jealous of her", the jury heard.
Ms Easey's brother told a similar story to police about his sister saying she had a "bounty on her head", while her step-father recalled Ms Easey telling him "s--- is going down", but said she would not elaborate.
A detective involved in the investigation said police had never recovered the book or safe key described by Ms Easey.
The jury also heard from Specialist Forensic Pathologist Dr Allan Cala, who conducted the autopsy on Ms Easey and opined she died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and stab wounds to the back.
Dr Cala said he thought the fractures to the skull were inflicted first, possibly with a hammer, before Ms Easey was stabbed.
He said the blows to the head were inflicted with such force that they could have caused death instantly.
Dr Cala later agreed with Public Defender Tony Evers, for Ms McHenry, that all of the injuries could have been inflicted while Ms Easey was lying face down on a bed.
Ms Easey was allegedly murdered at a home at Narara on August 17, 2019, before her body was driven around and ultimately dumped in the creek at Killingworth.
Ms Easey's body was found on August 31 wrapped in a protective suit, doona, plastic and duct tape.
The prosecution case is that Mr Dilosa and Ms McHenry worked together to stab and bludgeon Ms Easey.
The trial continues.
