Gympie torture death: Three jailed for life for gruesome murder
THREE men – including a father and son - who used “cruel” means to torture Gold Coast man Shaun Barker to death in 2013 have been sentenced to life behind bars in Brisbane Supreme Court.
Crime & Justice
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ONE of Shaun Barker’s killers used Facebook to advertise body parts for sale, the victim’s sister has told a court.
Stephen John Armitage, his son Matthew Leslie Armitage and William Francis Dean used “cruel” means to torture the Gold Coast man to death near Gympie in 2013 have been jailed for life after being convicted of murder.
In 2012, Mr Barker allegedly stole drugs from the trio and was lured to a house northeast of Gympie.
It was there the trio exacted their revenge over a period of days.
Barker was placed in a fishing Esky and then dropped from a forklift.
He was deprived of food and water, had his bones broken and then tied to a tree with honey on his genitals to attract ants.
Witnesses at the gathering at the house at Cooloola Cove, near Gympie, told police they heard Barker’s screams for help.
One witness said Dean bragged about putting honey on Barker’s genitals.
Barker’s remains were found burnt some days later.
His exact cause of death remains unknown.
All three men were sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 20 years.
Mr Barker’s sister Sheridan Mollenhauer read a victim impact statement in court.
She told the packed courtroom that police informed her brother’s remains had been found while she was on her honeymoon.
“To find out how he died was the worst possible nightmare,” she said.
“You went on to put in a very large post on your page advertising that you had body parts for sale.
“Then you went and put a profile picture of yourself laying on a bed with your hands tied to the bed and a human skull in front of you.”
Mrs Mollenhauer called the trio “disgusting humans” and questioned how they could act so vilely.
Justice David Jackson called the crimes committed by the men “particularly heinous”.
The trio has already served more than 1000 days in jail.
All men are eligible for parole after serving 20 years.
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