Michelle Beets’ killer Walter Marsh to die in jail after appeal against murder conviction, life sentence fails

SHE was brutally murdered as she walked home from work at Royal North Shore Hospital. Now Michelle Beets’ killer will die in jail.

BCM 28.4 Copy Pic...... Michelle Beets, was murdered at her Sydney home yesterday. Pic taken in Sydney Feb 2009.

THE murderer of nurse Michelle Beets will die behind bars, with an appeal court this morning dismissing his appeal against his conviction and life sentence.

Walter Ciaran Marsh was given a life term with no possibility of parole for slitting the throat of the Royal North Shore Hospital emergency manager in April 2010 after she didn't give him a good work reference.

If he failed to find employment, Marsh was facing deportation back to the US where he owed $50,000 in child support to his ex-wife.

Lawyers for the 54-year-old told a hearing at the Court of Criminal Appeal earlier this year that the murder shouldn't have been classed as being in “the worst category”.

Marsh has always denied being responsible for Ms Beets' death. His barrister Winston Terracini SC told the three judge bench that there had been no “sexual gratification” motive and an absence of “torture” in the killing.

The jury in Marsh's 2011 trial heard he had murdered his former boss using a throat slitting technique taught during his stint as a US Marine.

But Marsh’s appeal heard that “there are no striking similarities between the method (Marsh) was allegedly taught to inflict and the wounds inflicted upon the deceased”.

Michelle Beets’ partner David Grant speaks after Walter Marsh’s failed appeal. Picture: John Grainger

“It is neither clear that (Marsh) in fact was taught the relevant knife attack method and nor is it clear that the deceased died as the result of the employment of that method,” written submissions prepared by Mr Terracini SC and Marsh’s solicit Benjamin Archbold say.

The Crown described Ms Beets as a “blameless victim”, and had “done nothing except do her job in terms of not allowing a reference she didn’t think was appropriate to be proffered”.

Marsh did not appear on the video link screen as the judgment was handed down this morning.

Ms Beets' partner David Grant attended court for the decision.

CCTV footage of Walter Marsh at Chatswood Chase straight after he killed Michelle Beets in her home.