Geoffrey Adams, accused murdering wife in 1973 at Maitland, dared police to ‘rip up’ his backyard, where they eventually found Colleen Adams’ body
A husband on trial for the alleged murder of his wife in 1973 told police to “rip up” his backyard in 2018, stating they’d find nothing. Two days later the body of his wife was found under a concrete slab.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- DAY 1: Accused murderer killed wife in kitchen, jury told
- DAY 2: Court told of fights between husband and wife
A man accused of murdering his wife and burying her in the backyard told police two days before the body was found to “rip up” the backyard, declaring they would find nothing, a court heard on Wednesday.
Geoffrey Adams, 71, is accused of murdering his wife, Colleen, at their family home in Maitland in November 1973.
After intensive questioning by police in September 2018, Adams admitted striking his wife with a metal pole twice to the head, leaving her with fatal injuries.
He entered a guilty plea to manslaughter but has denied a charge of murder, saying he never intended to kill her.
On Wednesday, his murder trial – which started this week – was told that detectives travelled to the Maitland home, where they suspected Mrs Adams’ body was buried, two days before he confessed.
The court heard Adams – who until then had maintained that his 24-year-old wife walked out on the family in November 1973 and had not been seen since – challenged them to dig up a concrete slab in the backyard, saying they would not find anything.
“Rip it up, go for it,” the court was told he said. “I’ll be here if you need me.”
Two days later, after intense police questioning, Adams admitted hitting his wife and burying her in the backyard.
He led officers to where the body was located – the same spot he had challenged officers to dig up. Police then found her body, the court was told.
Earlier on Wednesday, the jury watched footage of Adams on a Channel 9 program in 1996 discussing the disappearance of his wife.
In it, he told the reporter that the “biggest punishment” for him was the rumours that he had killed his wife, which followed him as he moved to Roxby Downs.
“I’ve gone through a fair bit of trauma,” he said in the footage. “I hope that she’ll come back eventually.”
The jury was shown footage taken by Major Crime detectives on September 17, 2018.
The detectives interviewed Adams at his home in Wallaroo, where he once again denied killing his wife but admitted that there were episodes of violence in the home.
“When she was calm she was a beautiful person,” he said. “It was nothing serious, we never had a bad fight, a bit of pushing and shoving. It wasn’t every day, only when she lost control or her patience.”
He said the couple fought once a week but denied ever hitting her hard. “We never hurt each other or were really violent or anything like that.”
The trial continues.