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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Hannah Neale

Teen admits murdering man in suspected mistaken identity

Police at the scene after Glenn Walewicz, inset, was killed at his home. Pictures by Sitthixay Ditthavong, Supplied

A teenager has admitted to murdering a man in a suspected case of mistaken identity after going to the wrong address and shooting him dead.

Police allege Glenn Walewicz, 48, was shot dead in the front doorway of his Phillip unit in June 2021.

The shooter, 18, who was 17 at the time and cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty to murder in the ACT Children's Court on Wednesday.

Multiple people are alleged to have been involved in what the prosecution previously labelled a "botched home invasion".

The alleged "architect" of the incident, Nicole Williams, is set to stand trial accused of recruiting a number of people, including the boy and another child aged 12, to rob a known drug-dealer's home in Phillip.

Her son Jayden Douglas Williams, 19, is also set to stand trial in the ACT Supreme Court for his alleged involvement.

Both have pleaded not guilty.

Country NSW man Gary Michael Taylor, 24, has pleaded guilty to a charge of joint commission murder, admitting he was present when Mr Walewicz was shot dead.

Homicide detectives claim Nicole Williams sent Taylor and the 17-year-old shooter to Phillip, along with another child, with orders to steal cash or drugs from the home of two dealers who owed her money.

They allegedly went to the wrong address and arrived at Mr Walewicz's door by mistake, chief prosecutor Anthony Williamson said when Nicole Williams was denied bail in early September.

A prosecution case statement, tendered during the failed bail application, alleges a number of people accused of involvement in the murder met up at Nicole Williams' home on the evening in question.

According to prosecutors, the 17-year-old knocked on Mr Walewicz's door and said "open up".

There was "a bang" after Mr Walewicz opened the door, and the older boy told the others to "go" as the victim, who was hit in the neck by a single shot, stumbled backwards and collapsed with fatal injuries.

The facts for the now 18 year old have not yet been finalised.

The trio was driven to and from the scene by Dunlop man Reatile Ncube, who has pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory to murder.

In September the court heard the shooter had written rap lyrics about the murder on his phone.

Detectives claimed lyrics written within hours of the shooting, said "they told me to hit that lick instead it was a hit n pop ... I schemed and leaned and dropped some blood". The phrase "hit a lick" refers to making money quickly.

Another, from about two weeks after the event, read "what's popping just put your mans in a coffin".

The case will move to the ACT Supreme Court for sentencing and is set for mention on February 16.

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