Man who murdered boss, stuffed him in a barrel to be released from jail and deported
A factory worker who was about to be sacked when he killed his boss with “hideous brutality” will be released after spending almost half his life behind bars.
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A Sydney factory worker who murdered his boss and stuffed him in an ink barrel because he was going to be sacked for thousands of dollars worth of fraud has been granted parole.
Saso Krstevski was jailed for a maximum of 24 years for the murder of father-of-four David Duncan at Hydrotech Ink in Botany Bay on January 24, 2001.
His non-parole period of 18 years expired last year. The State Parole Authority yesterday granted the 44-year-old parole, ordering that he be deported to his native Macedonia upon release.
WHAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2001?
Krstevski was about to be sacked for stealing cheques worth several thousand dollars when he told friends he had resolved to kill Mr Duncan, planning to forge a cheque worth $25,000.
The factory boss was dissatisfied with the performance and attendance of Krstevski, then 25, and had also found out about his history of stealing from work.
“He set out to kill Mr Duncan, and the method he employed involved hideous brutality,” Justice David Kirby when he sentenced the killer in mid-2002.
“He showed no mercy. It was a callous and cowardly attack.”
Mr Duncan, from Mosman, was crouched down and mixing ink while on the phone to a friend when he was repeatedly struck over the head and body with a heavy metal object.
“Such was the ferocity of the blow that he did not even utter a cry,” Justice Kirby said, according to court documents seen by news.com.au.
The attack was over in 45 seconds.
Mr Duncan suffered a fractured skull and “massive brain injuries”.
Krstevski called his friend and said: “I did it. Come around.”
That man told another male companion: “Saso’s just done the boss.”
Krstevski placed Mr Duncan’s body in an ink barrel, sealed it and cleaned up the mess with ammonia before the two men arrived.
They took a business card to the bank and Krstevski, posing as Mr Duncan back at the ink factory, authorised a cheque over the phone.
The men returned to the office and swapped roles with Krstevski who went to the bank.
But as they manned the phone, waiting for him to call so they could authorise a cheque in return, Mr Duncan’s friend arrived. He had been on the phone to the boss when he was killed.
The two men fled and Mr Duncan’s friend, “alarmed” by his absence, instead answered the phone when the bank called.
“He therefore referred the bank to Mr Duncan’s wife,” court documents state.
“Mrs Duncan refused to authorise payment of the cheque. She called the police and herself set out for the factory.”
When Krstevski returned, Mr Duncan’s friend was waiting for him and police soon arrived.
HOW DID IT PLAY OUT IN COURT?
Justice Kirby said the victim impact statements of Margot Duncan, the victim’s wife, and their four children were among “the saddest and most moving that I have read”.
“One can only sympathise with the anguish of the family at the senseless destruction of life that had delivered so much and had so much more to give,” the judge said.
Krstevski had tried to argue at his NSW Supreme Court trial that one of the two other men involved in the fraud was responsible for the murder and had bashed Mr Duncan to death.
He had also argued he was under the influence of one of the men, who was a heroin addict and to whom he was giving some of the forged cheques.
When the jury returned its verdict of guilty to murder, Mrs Duncan sobbed while other family members gasped with relief, yelling “yes”. Krstevski showed no emotion.
Outside the court, Mrs Duncan said her husband was aware money was going missing from the factory and wanted to distance himself from Krstevski. He just needed a few more days.
“He was in a difficult position where he couldn’t get Saso out of his life as quickly as he could, but he had all intention of getting him out of his life the week after,” she said.
“Had he survived that Wednesday, Krstevski would have been out of his life and we would have him today.”
She said it was a relief she could finally tell her children what had happened to their father.
Justice Kirby in 2002 said Krstevski, who arrived in Australia with his parents in 1996, presented “as a puzzle”.
He said the murderer was mild mannered, polite and well educated.
“He has no history of violence, or convictions for crimes of violence,” Justice Kirby said.
“Yet, Krstevski committed a crime of unimaginable brutality.
“He employed stealth in catching Mr Duncan unawares. His crime has a chilling, cold-blooded quality to it.
“Whilst ever the true motivation of Krstevski remains a mystery, it is difficult to predict the future and say, with confidence, that a similar crime is unlikely. At best, one can say that the prospects of rehabilitation, given time and maturity, are reasonable.”
Krstevski is due to be released between February 16 and March 1 this year and will be handed over to immigration authorities.
He has extended family in his home country of Macedonia and his Australian permanent resident visa has been cancelled.
“In a report to the SPA, the Serious Offenders Review Council recommended Krstevski’s release to parole as did Community Corrections, stating he had achieved his therapeutic program pathway and noting his visa cancellation prevented him from progressing further in prison classification to access external leave,” the State Parole Authority said on Friday.
“Accepting the expert advice, Justice James Wood said nothing further could be done in this country to further advance his rehabilitation.”
Mr Duncan’s family told the SPA they would never forget the crime or forgive Krstevski.
With AAP
Originally published as Man who murdered boss, stuffed him in a barrel to be released from jail and deported