Witness recalls horrific details of Innisfail fatal stabbing

Graphic details witnessed by the caretaker of an Innisfail unit block have been revealed at a trial into the fatal stabbing of Innisfail man Raymond Smerdelj.

GRAPHIC details witnessed by the caretaker of an Innisfail unit block have been revealed at a trial into the fatal stabbing of Innisfail man Raymond Smerdelj.

Clay Peter Stone, 31, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter over the October 3, 2019 death of Mr Smerdelj before Justice Jim Henry in the Cairns Supreme Court.

On the day three of the trial the court heard short testimonies from residents living in the block of flats about what happened the night Mr Smerdelj died.

The Edith St flats in Innisfail where a man was killed on October 3 2019. Picture: Peter Carruthers

Crown prosecutor Danny Boyle asked caretaker of the Edith St units and Commonwealth Hotel employee Maree Anne Wesche what she remembered seeing from the first floor balcony.

“I heard a bit of yelling, it sounded like it was coming from down in flat three,” she told the court.

“I was going to ask them to keep it down and that’s when I saw the deceased.

“He just staggered out into the backyard and fell on the grass.

SES crews comb Edith St in Innisfail for evidence relating to the stabbing death of a man on October 3 2019. Picture: Peter Carruthers

He had a stab wound. There was a lot of blood, it was pulsating out the side of his rib cage.

“He did get up again and stumbled a bit and fell back down.”

Another unit resident Rachael Ellen Burn gave evidence she saw Mr Stone visit her flat soon after the stabbing. “He had a tiny little tear on his shirt and what appeared to be a tiny bit of blood on his lip,” she told the court.

Mr Stone asked to have a shower before telling Ms Burn he had been “home invaded” and got in a fight.

Ms Burn said Mr Stone asked to borrow a new shirt.

“He just took the red shirt off and I threw it in the bin because it was ruined,” she said.

Defence barrister Frank Richards asked Ms Burn if Mr Stone had instructed her to throw the damaged shirt in the bin, she answered “no”.

Innisfail man Clay Stone, 30, is accused of murdering another Innisfail man Raymond Smerdelj, 32, at an Edith St unit complex. Picture: Facebook

Constable Erin McCallum of the Innisfail police arrived at flats within minutes of the triple-0 call and began first aid to an “unresponsive” Mr Smerdelj.

Const McCallum was asked about the weather the night of the stabbing. “It rained very heavily that night … until I was relieved at 3am,” she said.

Originally published as Witness recalls horrific details of Innisfail fatal stabbing