Alleged Cowandilla murderer Kristopher Steele silent in court, heading to Supreme Court trial

The man accused of killing his housemate in Adelaide’s western suburbs – before going on a wild rampage along Henley Beach Rd – will head to the Supreme Court for trial.

The man accused of killing his housemate in Adelaide’s western suburbs earlier this year, before allegedly going on a rampage and breaking into a string of nearby businesses, will head to the Supreme Court for trial – but has flagged a mental health defence.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday morning, Kristopher Robert Steele appeared via video link from Yatala Labour Prison, dressed in a prison issued yellow tracksuit.

Mr Steele, 32, was charged with murdering 60-year-old John Charles Frederick Cox at their Cowandilla home in January.

Police were called to a home on Harley Rd in Cowandilla early on January 14 this year after a string of nearby business break-ins led them to the scene.

Kristopher Steele has been charged over the death of his housemate, 60-year-old John Cox, at Cowandilla. Picture: 7NEWS

Police at the scene of the alleged murder in January this year. Picture: NewsWire / Dean Martin

Officers were first called to a series of alarm activations at Torrensville businesses on Henley Beach Rd about 12.30am where they found several businesses had been broken into with windows smashed.

At the scene, they found 32-year-old Kristopher Robert Steele. Police subsequently went to the Harley Rd home.

On arriving at the address, they found Mr Cox’s body.

Police said both Mr Steele and Mr Cox were residents at the address and were known to each other.

After the alleged murder, Mr Steele was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he appeared in court for the first time over the phone.

Police at the scene of the alleged murder in January this year. Picture: NewsWire / Dean Martin

The scene of the break-ins. Picture: RoyVPhotography

His lawyer at the time asked for his client to be remanded under a section 269x order – the form of detention ordered when there are investigations to be conducted into a defendant’s mental competence.

In court on Thursday, Trish Johnson, for Mr Steele, told magistrate Brian Nitschke that a case to answer was conceded, but that her client would not be answering the charge.

When asked if he pleaded guilty or not guilty to murder, Mr Steele remained silent.

Mr Nitschke recorded a not guilty plea, and Mr Steele will appear in the Supreme Court in September.