Fresh charges for Deborah, Joshua Mason for alleged bungled cover-up of Stuart Highway crash

The family of a grandmother whose severed leg was left on a Territory highway is still searching for answers.

NEW charges have been laid against a mother and son who allegedly conspired to bury a woman’s body in a shallow grave on a highway back road.

Deborah Karen Mason, 50, and her son Joshua Gary Mason, 23, allegedly dragged the body of 50-year-old grandmother Kumanjayi Napurrurla Dixon onto a ute to cover up a gruesome hit and run on the Stuart Highway, on Monday May 30.

Lawyers representing the mother and son appeared before Judge David Woodroffe at Darwin Local Court on Wednesday.

Mr Mason allegedly hit Ms Dixon with his car while driving on the Stuart Highway near Coolalinga and called his mother for help.

It was alleged that neither contacted triple-0, but the mother and son worked together to drag Ms Dixon’s body onto the back of Ms Mason’s ute before dumping her in an unmarked grave.

Her disembodied leg was left behind, to be spotted by passing motorists the next day.

Two days after the crash police found the rest of her body on Jenkins Rd, Virginia.

Mrs Mason is accused of attempting to pervert the court of justice, destroying evidence and misconduct with a corpse.

Defence lawyer Thelma Gray said Mrs Mason had also been charged with breaching her bail, but she had not received details from police.

In June, Mrs Mason was granted bail after setting a $10,000 surety.

Mr Mason is accused of hit and run causing death, unlicensed driving, attempting to pervert the court of justice, destroying evidence and misconduct with a corpse.

The 23-year-old also faces new charges of speeding 16-30km/h over the limit, low-range drink-driving and unlicensed driving.

The court has previously heard both mother and son are expected to make guilty pleas.

Mrs Mason sat in the centre of the court gallery as legal teams debated her case.

Her matter was adjourned to October 12 , for a preliminary examination mention at Darwin Local Court.

The 50-year-old mother walked from the courtroom, not remaining for her son’s hearing.

But the family of Ms Dixon bore witness to his brief mention.

Mr Mason did not appear on the prison video link as his case was adjourned for another month, also to October 12.

The Wednesday court process for both mother and son lasted less than five minutes.

Ms Dixon’s aunty said she had hoped for more answers.

Kumanjayi Napurrurla Dixon was remembered by her family as a “bubbly”, “cheeky” mother, grandmother, Aunty and Anmatyerre woman.

Cecile Chavez said she had missed her niece’s funeral, but would not miss a moment of the justice process.

“I want to come to every court mention. To see their side of the story,” Ms Chavez said.

“To put the puzzle pieces together.

“I wanted to see the son and hear what he had to say, instead …”

Ms Chavez trailed off, wiping away tears.

The Virginia resident said her niece was likely walking to visit her home on the fateful night.

Ms Chavez said while they had seen news of the severed leg on the highway, her family had no idea it was their loved one.

“We saw it on the news and thought ‘who would do that?’ … only later we found out it was family,” she said.

Ms Chavez said she was confused by the court proceedings, but still prepared to witness each step in the long search for justice.

Originally published as Fresh charges for Deborah, Joshua Mason for alleged bungled cover-up of Stuart Highway crash