Junkie murderer Nicole Therese Courcier McGuinness blames Google for drug relapse

She betrayed, murdered, beheaded and dismembered a woman who tried to help her kick her addiction – now she says she’s relapsed on parole after Googling her name and crime.

Fuelled by drugs and desperate for money, Nicole Therese Courcier McGuinness and her lesbian lover murdered the one woman prepared to help them.

McGuinness and Donna Lee Casagrande did not just kill Joanne Lillecrapp – they beheaded, defleshed and dismembered her in a horrific attempt to escape justice.

It was a crime that revolted South Australia and, on Monday McGuinness told the Supreme Court that ongoing revulsion had ruined her attempts at parole.

Joseph Henderson, for McGuinness, conceded his client had repeatedly breached release by using drugs but insisted it was not her fault.

“Her first relapse was caused principally as a consequence of Googling her own name and seeing the nature and extent of the reporting in relation to her offending,” he said.

Joanne Lillecrapp in 1994. Picture: Supplied.

Nicole Therese Courcier McGuinness following her arrest. Picture: Michael Milnes.

“As a consequence of reading that material she relived those events, that triggered her and caused the relapse.

“Since that time she has been struggling with those feelings and suffering from repeated and recurring nightmares … there’s a level of self-medication here.

“This really could be considered a false start, albeit a significant false start, on parole.”

McGuinness’ plea angered Ms Lillecrapp’s brother, Ron, who has fought since 2020 to prevent her release into the community.

“What she did was absolutely inhuman, and she is not fit to be called human,” he said.

“There is no forgiveness, there can never be forgiveness, for what she did … why should she get out when she’s left all of us with a life sentence?”

In November 2001, police found some of Ms Lillecrapp’s remains spread across and buried beneath the strawberry patch of her home at Norton Street, Angle Park.

Both McGuinness and her lover, Casagrande – who, in exchange for methadone, confessed to killing Ms Lillecrapp – were arrested interstate.

SA Police had to dig up Ms Lillecrapp’s backyard strawberry patch to recover her body.

Casagrande, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was paroled in 2011 but has been in and out of prison since for subsequent offending.

McGuinness, who pleaded guilty to murder, sought parole in 2020 – she was released a year later, only to breach her conditions through multiple positive drug tests.

On Monday, McGuinness – who appeared by video link – wept as Ms Henderson said she had “been clean for 12 years in custody” prior to her release.

She then tested positive, he said, for methylamphetamine, amphetamine and heroin.

“I accept that (the murder) was committed, or at least in part caused, by drug use and accept these breaches are somewhat concerning for the court,” he said.

He asked she be sentenced to time served, allowing her to apply immediately for parole once more.

Prosecutors confirmed neither they nor the Parole Board opposed that course.

Justice Laura Stein has reserved her decision.