Alleged accessory to Glass House Mountains murder revealed in court
A third person has been charged in relation to the alleged murder of a Caboolture mother, whose decomposed body was found dumped in Sunshine Coast bushland last year.
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A third person has been charged in relation to the alleged murder of a Caboolture mother, whose decomposed body was found dumped in Sunshine Coast bushland last year.
A court north of Brisbane has heard allegations Kallangur woman Chelsea Ellen Butterworth, 33, helped two men, accused of murdering Caboolture mother Donna Howe and burying her body in bushland, try to escape punishment.
Butterworth, 33, appeared in Caboolture Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with accessory after the fact to murder, contravention of a probation order, driving motor vehicle without licence repeat offender, leave court without entering into bail undertaking, possess utensils or pipes etc for use and two counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
Court documents allege that between May 8 and June 9, 2022, Butterworth knew Clinton Travis Oliver, 41 and Braydon Franklin, 31, allegedly murdered Ms Donna Louise Howe, 57, and helped them escape punishment.
Oliver and Franklin, both from Caboolture, appeared before the Caboolture Magistrates Court on June 9 2022, both charged with murder and misconduct with a corpse.
Police allege in documents tendered previously to court that Oliver and Franklin murdered Ms Howe at a Balkee Drive home in Caboolture on May 8, 2022, and moved her body on the same day.
Howe’s heavily decomposed remains were found on a remote bushland track in the Glass House Mountains in June last year, by two men who were four-wheel driving.
Howe had been missing since late April, 2022.
In court on Tuesday, Magistrate James Blanch scolded Butterworth for not staying in contact with her appointed lawyer, Tim Hishon, and previously leaving court without signing her bail papers.
“You wait outside, do not leave,” Mr Blanch said.
“If you leave, I’ll issue a warrant for your arrest and you’ll be taken to the watchouse when you’re picked up, cause you never turn up.
“You’re out of contact with them (her lawyers).”
Oliver is also facing five fraud charges and Franklin one.
It’s alleged Oliver dishonestly gained $7000 for himself on May 24, 2022 and dishonestly used a debit card belonging to Ms Howe twice that same day.
It is also alleged Oliver dishonestly obtained $310 and $1095 from Ms Howe on May 25 and May 31, 2022.
Police will allege both men were known to the victim — Franklin was said to have lived with her and Oliver was a frequent visitor.
Police also allege Franklin dishonestly gained $2000 for himself on May 25, 2022.
Mr Blanch adjourned Butterworth’s matter until September 26.
Oliver and Franklin scheduled to next face court on November 2.
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