Rene Latimore killer accepts manslaughter plea deal
Prosecutors have accepted a last-minute plea deal for a young man accused of killing Queensland mother Rene Latimore while he was a teen, it can be revealed.
The murder trial for a young man charged over the death of Mackay region mum Rene Latimore will not go ahead after a last-minute plea deal was accepted, this publication can exclusively reveal.
It comes more than four years after Ms Latimore, 31, was found dead.
She had been reported missing from the Koumala area on August 18, 2021 after police believe she was last seen alive about one week earlier on August 9.
Police allege she was killed that evening or early the following day.
Three weeks after she was last seen alive her body was found on August 30 at an Ilbilbie property now owned by Mackay Regional Councillor and Origin Great Marty Bella. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Mr Bella’s part.
And about three months later, on November 26, 2021, a 17-year-old was arrested and charged with murder.
It is understood he and Ms Latimore were known to each other.
Now an adult but unable to be named because he was underage at the time, he has been on bail since his case was committed on April 30, 2024 on a downgraded charge of manslaughter.
However, six months later, prosecutors indicted him on a murder charge, and it was listed for a three-week murder trial to start on Monday, November 10.
That has since been delisted following confirmation from the DPP on Friday that the man would plead guilty to manslaughter.
A spokesman for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed the case was committed for trial and a review of the admissible evidence determined “an offence of murder properly reflected the criminality, was supported by the evidence and it was considered that there was a reasonable prospect of securing a conviction for that offence”.
However, a defence submission in relation to the case had recently been received containing “an offer to plead to the offence of manslaughter” as well as more material for the Crown’s consideration, the ODPP spokesman said.
“Advice was provided to the director and deputy director after consultation with the family and the police and a determination was made to accept the plea of guilty to the offence of manslaughter,” he said.
“The ODPP has a responsibility to conduct an independent review of each matter committed to the District or Supreme Court based on the ODPP guidelines.”
It is understood the case will be mentioned again in the Supreme Court in the coming weeks.
Formal pleas have not been entered.
