Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh committed to Supreme Court over alleged murder

A man is accused of strangling his ex, leaving her for dead on a Gold Coast apartment floor and taking their child, a court has heard. FULL STORY

An alleged murderer accused of strangling his ex-partner and leaving her for dead on the floor of a Gold Coast apartment before taking off with her baby has been committed to face the Supreme Court.

A magistrate has determined there is sufficient evidence to continue prosecution against Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh over the alleged murder of Logan woman Mary Benedito at Southport in 2021.

Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh will face Queensland’s Supreme Court charged with Ms Benedito’s alleged murder.

The decision was made to refer the matter to the Supreme Court in Brisbane following a two-day committal hearing earlier this year.

Ms Benedito was found unresponsive on the floor of the Meriton Suites in Como Crescent with life threatening injuries on Saturday, November 28, 2021. The then 25-year-old was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition and placed in intensive care. She died days later when her life support was switched off.

An amber alert was issued for Ms Benedito’s 11-month-old son, who was surrendered to Crestmead Police Station, near Logan, by two women known to Marsh.

Mary Benedito died in the Intensive Care Unit at Gold Coast University Hospital after her life support was turned off. Photo: Supplied

He was eventually arrested by officers at Oxley, in Brisbane’s southwest, and charged with grievous bodily harm and strangulation. That was upgraded to murder following Ms Benedito’s death.

It’s alleged Marsh strangled the mother of his child during an altercation inside the Gold Coast apartment before taking off with the boy and leaving her for dead.

Following the committal hearing, the prosecution has six months to present an indictment to the Supreme Court, where Marsh is expected to stand trial at a later date over the alleged murder.

Social media was flooded with tributes for Ms Benedito by her family and loved ones following her death in 2021.

‘AMAZING MUM’ AND ‘GONE TOO SOON’

Mary Benedito’s family and loved ones took to social media to remember her as an “amazing mum” who was “gone too soon” following her tragic death.

“She was really very selfless, whatever she was going through she would just sweep it under the rug and focus on keeping you happy,” friend Kelepi Teu said at the time.

“It was never really about her, it was always about you. She was the goofiest person I have ever met in my life. She was so bubbly.

“She had an infectious personality and even if you were sad she would do whatever she could to bring you back up again, to make you laugh, to make you giggle.”

Another friend, Tiana Goven wrote on social media: “You had an amazing heart and (you were) an amazing mum.”

Ms Benedito was described as an “angel” in another post, Leanne Tawa.
“Gone too soon. Going to miss you so much beautiful, until we meet again.”

Originally published as Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh committed to Supreme Court over alleged murder