Woodchipper murder trial hears friend of accused refused to write letter

The trial of a woman accused of the woodchipper murder of her ex-partner has heard text messages sent in the days and weeks after his death.

Witness Kim Simpson leaves Brisbane Supreme Court after giving evidence at the woodchipper murder trial. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

The Brisbane Supreme Court trial of a woman accused of the woodchipper murder of her ex-partner has heard text messages sent by her in the days and weeks after the incident.

Sharon Graham is accused of murdering Bruce Saunders, of Nambour, for money, by procuring her then partner Gregory Lee Roser to carry out the killing.

Roser allegedly bashed Mr Saunders over the head with a pipe, killing him, and then placed his body in a woodchipper with the help of Peter Koenig on a property near Gympie in November 2017.

Graham and Roser have both pleaded not guilty to murder.

The trial was told on Wednesday that after Mr Saunders’ alleged murder Graham texted a friend confirming police deemed it a tragic accident.

“Can’t talk, I’m devastated. Bruce has passed away,” she said in the text.

“Police have said it’s a tragic accident.”

Victim Bruce Saunders

In the series of messages Graham said Mr Saunders had been texting her when his phone must have fallen in the woodchipper “and he must have went to grab and he went from that”.

“Oh my god. I’m so sick. Truck and machinery is covered up,” she said.

“Been crying all night/I’m devo. Don’t know what to think or say.”

Graham texted that Roser and Koenig had spent all night vomiting.

“Greg … just push button to stop but too late,” she said.

In court Graham started crying and asked for tissues as Crown prosecutor Dave Meredith read the text messages to the jury.

In one message Graham said she had broken the news to Mr Saunders’ son.

“He has a shattered heart, just in so much pain,” she said.

Graham said she was trying to deal with it but “not really coping” and the machine was “under investigation”.

On December 1 the friend texts Graham a message of support for Mr Saunders’ funeral that day.

Ten days later Graham texts the friend about New Year’s Eve plans.

“We are going to the Yandina Hotel…GREAT BAND….WOOHOO.”

Earlier the court was told Graham had asked a long-time friend to write a letter stating she was still in a relationship with Mr Saunders at the time of his death.

But Kim Simpson said she had refused to pen the letter because it was not true.

Murder accused Sharon Graham

Ms Simpson told the court Graham, whom she had known for four decades, called on the night Mr Saunders was killed.

“Sharon said to me one of the guys had fallen into the woodchipper,” Ms Simpson said.

“She was very upset, crying hysterically.”

However the court was told Roser called Graham shortly after the incident and told her about Mr Saunders’ fate.

About a week later Ms Simpson said Graham had told her Mr Saunders “had left everything to her”.

Later on Graham asked her to write a letter.

“She asked me if I could write a letter to her lawyer stating that her and Bruce were in a relationship at the time of his death… because of the insurance,” she said.

Ms Simpson said she had refused because it was not true.

Even after they had broken up, Ms Simpson said Mr Saunders was “very loving, very besotted with her”.

In a statement given to police Ms Simpson said Graham had an effect on men.

The prosecution has alleged there was a “love quadrangle”, with Roser, Koenig and Mr Saunders all being romantically linked with Graham at some stage.

The court has heard Graham also tried to convince Koenig to murder Mr Saunders but he refused, although he has admitted helping to feed him through a woodchipper.

Koenig pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact earlier this year, the court has heard.