Queensland woman Bernadette Burns ordered to stand trial over the murder of Adelaide pensioner Robert Whitwell
A QUEENSLAND woman has been ordered to stand trial accused of murdering an Adelaide pensioner in his northern suburbs home.
A QUEENSLAND woman has been ordered to stand trial accused of murdering an Adelaide pensioner in his northern suburbs home.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday, Bernandette Burns, 21, formally denied killing Robert Whitwell, 81, in his Craigmore home in August last year.
&j=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%3D%3D){kind=link}
Burns, of Redbank Plains, 33km southwest of Brisbane, was ordered to stand trial in the Supreme Court at a later date after pleading not guilty to one murder charge.
Her denials came after her co-accused Brittney Jade Dwyer, 19, pleaded guilty to murdering her grandfather over what prosecutors say was an ambition to steal thousands of dollars.
Dwyer, also of Redbanks Plains, has further admitted an aggravated serious criminal trespass charge. She will receive a life term behind bars when she is sentenced later.
No facts have been aired in court, which detail Burns’ alleged part in the killing.
Another teenager, Shelby Lee Angie Holmes, also 19, has admitted breaking into Mr Whitwell’s house a few months before his death.
Admitting the home invasion, she helped “scope” Mr Whitwell for several days before they would rob him of $30,000 in May. She admits jumping his fence and opening a roller door.
The trio were arrested by Major Crime detectives after Mr Whitwell’s body was found inside his house on August 8.
The Advertiser also revealed last month how the pair exchanged the chilling electronic messages just months before Mr Whitwell died.
They discussed killing other people at rave parties and “going on rampages” and a plan to steal money and drugs.
They are among 19,000 texts sent between the pair over two years that prosecutors say details events leading up to Mr Whitwell’s killing.
In another message, Dwyer warned her flatmate not to get attached to her grandfather because he “might have to die”.
Another stated that an unidentified friend had “come into a large amount of money”, Dwyer jokes “maybe they beat us to poppers (sic)”.
They also discussed stealing drugs from Holmes’ veterinary nurse mother, Jody.
The trio will reappear in court again next month.