Man found guilty of murdering uncle

DANIEL Troy Ames has been found guilty of the shooting murder of his uncle with the judge ruling the case against him was "cohesive and overwhelming".

DANIEL Troy Ames has been found guilty of the shooting murder of his uncle with the judge ruling the case against him was "cohesive and overwhelming".

Ames, 38, of Parafield Gardens, had his bail revoked today as he was put behind bars to serve a life sentence for shooting his uncle, Allen William Ames, in the head in 2009.

The body of Mr Ames, was found lying on its back on the floor of a rear shed of his Cavan industrial property.

He had been shot in the front of the head to the right of the nose.

Ames had pleaded not guilty saying he had visited his uncle on the night of the murder but had left with his uncle locking the gate behind him.

By his verdict, Justice David Peek rejected that theory.

He further rendered Ames' police statement that suggested he had spent just 20 to 25 minutes at his uncle's property that night was a "deliberate lie".

"Any hypothesis of innocence of the accused required such an unlikely combination of events and circumstances that it is to be dismissed as fanciful," he said.

"The accused said (to police) that his visit with the deceased at (his property) occurred on 24 to 25 November, its duration was 'maybe 20 to 25 minutes' and that he was home after leaving (the deceased's property) by 'say quarter to 10 I s'pose'.

"I find beyond reasonable doubt that these statements were plain and deliberate lies.

"They are proven to be false by the accused's own unqualified admission, eventually made during the course of the trial that he visit lasted for at least two-and-a-quarter hours and that he left (the property) at 12.14am."

Mr Ames' body was found near a large hacksaw and near his feet was a table where a small set of battery-operated scales, a cutlery knife and a small hacksaw sat.

The blades had methylamphetamine reside and a small amount of MDMA on them.

Mr Ames also had $600 in $50 notes in his top pocket and further amounts of cash were located, leading Justice Peek to reject any suggestion that the murder resulted during a robbery.

On the floor near the body was a fired Remington .380 auto pistol cartridge case but no firearm was located.

Outside court Mr Ames' widow, Wilma Ames, described the verdict as "just".

Ames will face sentencing submissions next month.