Johnathon Goodfellow says he stabbed Jordan Torrans in the heart in self defence, Adelaide court hears on first day of murder trial

A Salisbury Downs man has faced an Adelaide court accused of murdering Jordan Torrans. But he says the stabbing was in self defence.

An alleged murderer stabbed a young father in the chest with such force the blade “punctured his heart and cut through his rib cage on the way in”, but says he did so in an act of self defence, a court has heard.

On the first day of his murder trial on Monday morning, alleged killer Johnathon Malcolm Goodfellow sat silently in the South Australian Supreme Court as prosecutor Paul Tate described the evening he allegedly took the life of young father Jordan Torrans in September 2023.

Mr Goodfellow, 32 of Salisbury Downs, was charged with murdering Mr Torrans after an argument over payment for a motorbike that he had received. He has pleaded not guilty.

In his opening, Mr Tate on Monday told the jury Mr Torrans had attended Mr Goodfellow’s home on the evening of September 20, 2023 after heated text conversations about being paid.

He said an argument between the two started at the side of the house before Mr Torrans follow Mr Goodfellow into the kitchen, but when Mr Goodfellow then followed Mr Torrans outside, he was seen holding a knife.

Malcolm Goodfellow, Johnathon’s father – who he also lived with – told police he heard the altercation and then followed the pair outside. He then noticed blood on the pavement.

Alleged murder victim Jordan Torrans.

Mr Torrans died after an alleged altercation in September 2023. Picture: 7NEWS

“(Mr Torrans) was stabbed multiple times to his chest and body with a knife that was about 12cm long,” Mr Tate said.

“He received six stab wounds. Five of those were to his chest and stomach area, and one to his left calf. Three of the stab wounds he received were in a cluster or group around the left side of his chest.

“One of those three stab wounds penetrated his heart. It was that stab wound that killed him.”

Mr Tate told the jury that throughout the course of the trial, they would hear Mr Goodfellow had inflicted one of the stab wounds with “such force that it cut through one of Mr Torrans’ ribs on it’s way into his chest”.

He said that although no witnesses had actually seen the stabbing itself, Mr Goodfellow later made admissions to police that he “didn’t mean to kill” Mr Torrans.

Jeff Powell, for Mr Goodfellow, in his opening address told the jury that his client had stabbed the victim – but that he had only done so out of self defence.

He said his client was at home “minding his own business” and preparing dinner when Mr Torrans, armed with knuckledusters and high on methamphetamine, tried to “assault him in his own home”.

Mr Goodfellow was arrested at the scene. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Family and loved ones of alleged murder victim Jordan Torrans arriving in court for the first day of the trial. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt.

“Mr Torrans arrived unannounced, unexpected and uninvited. He made his way to the kitchen and he confronted the accused.

“He was affected by methamphetamine of a severe concentration and he had knuckledusters on his right hand, and a confrontation broke out.

“In response to this, Mr Goodfellow picked up the item he was using to prepare the meal – it was, in fact, the knife he’d been using to slice mushrooms, and to protect himself, he stabbed Mr Torrans to the chest, and the stomach.

“Mr Goodfellow didn’t want to kill him, he didn’t intend to kill him. In this instance he acted in the heat of the moment to protect himself.”

The trial continues.