Whyalla man found guilty of murder of two young friends in deliberate head-on smash on Lincoln Hwy
A WHYALLA man has been found guilty of murdering two young friends in a head-on crash on the state’s west coast.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A WHYALLA man has been found guilty of murdering two young friends in a head-on crash on the state’s west coast.
The Supreme Court jury in Port Augusta took less than three hours to unanimously find Michael Frank Knowles guilty of the murders of James Moore and Natasha Turnbull.
The Advertiser understands it is the first time in South Australian legal history that a person has been convicted of murder involving a road crash.
Knowles, 37, had admitted to causing the fatal crash but denied he was guilty of murder over the shocking crash on the Lincoln Hwy near Whyalla in the early hours of December 29, 2014.
Mr Moore’s sister Lesley said the guilty verdict was a “bookend to the whole ordeal” for her and Ms Turnbull’s family and friends.
“We definitely are relieved and we feel like justice has been served, we are incredibly grateful to the DPP and the police for doing the hard yards,” Ms Moore said.
“It is an incredible feeling, but obviously it doesn’t bring my brother or Tash back and we will live with that for the rest of our lives.”
Prosecutor Mark Norman SC said Knowles was angry and depressed at the breakdown of a relationship and had told his former girlfriend he planned to take his own life by driving into a truck.
Mr Norman told the jury that it must convict Knowles of murder, because he “must have known” that driving head-on into another vehicle could cause death or at least serious injury to its occupants.
Knowles’ lawyer told the jury to keep an open mind because the issue of whether his client intended to commit suicide was in dispute.
Knowles had made a series of Facebook posts in the hours before the fatal crash, including one simply stating: “the pain ends now”.
The head-on crash claimed the lives of Mr Moore and Ms Turnbull, who had spent the day with friends digging for fossils at Coffin Bay.
Mr Moore was driving a Mistubishi Pajero, and Ms Turnbull was in the passenger seat behind him.
Their friends, Jason Bristow and Amy Jones survived the crash but sustained serious injuries.
The trial heard evidence from people who came across the carnage and described Knowles as being drunk, angry and abusive towards them, stating he “just wanted to die”.
Prosecutors previously rejected an offer by Knowles to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated causing death by dangerous driving, instead pressing ahead with the murder trial.
Under South Australian law, Knowles will serve a mandatory life prison term, and faces at least 20 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
Justice Trish Kelly remanded Knowles in custody ahead of sentencing submissions in Port Augusta on Tuesday.
Battle to save animals on the brink at Outback reserve
Conservationists are battling to save animals at an Outback reserve from the effects of the worst drought in recent memory, and have received a funding boost to redouble their efforts.
Country tradie to face court over incomplete work
A country tradesman will face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court over allegations he was not licenced and refused to refund money to clients.