Yamba woman faces Lismore court charged with murder of ‘much loved’ Goonellabah grandmother Elizabeth Ann Lewis in 2020

A Yamba woman is set to face the Supreme Court accused of violently murdering a Goonellabah grandma described as “always full of love” with “a cheeky zest for life”.

A Yamba woman has been charged with the murder of a 60-year-old Goonellabah woman Elizabeth Ann Lewis in 2020.

A Yamba woman accused of violently murdering a much-loved Goonellabah grandmother in 2020 is set to face the Supreme Court after long delays in the case.

Family and friends remembered Elizabeth Ann Lewis, 60, as “such a fighter” who was “taken far too soon”.

Police allege emergency services were called to a unit on Rosedale Square at East Lismore after the body of Ms Lewis, 60, was found on Saturday, August 22, 2020.

A woman has been charged with murder and improperly interfering with a corpse, but cannot be named due to a non-publication order put in place on December 16, 2020 that is still active today.

Forensics at an East Lismore home after Ms Lewis tragic death.

The 35-year-old’s case was mentioned in Lismore Local Court on April 26, with her also facing charges of causing a person to take an intoxicating substance to commit an indictable offence, destroying property, intimidating a police officer and assaulting a police officer in execution of duty.

No pleas have been entered.

Police alleged when Ms Lewis’ body was found that it was a “confronting” scene for officers and there were signs that “obviously violence had occurred”.

“No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye,” Ms Lewis’ family lamented at her funeral, which was streamed online.

“You were gone before we knew it and only God knows why.”

Ms Lewis was remembered as a loving mum, devoted grandmother and “much loved” sister.

Her brother spoke through tears as he remembered Ms Lewis.

“There was so much that she had to give. She was taken far too soon,” he said.

“When we were growing up … it’s true about her talent. She was the best singer I had ever heard.

He said Ms Lewis faced a “tough and challenging life”

“But she was just such a fighter. She never ever gave up,” Ms Lewis’ brother said.

“I idolised her for that.”

Ms Lewis was remembered as “always full of love” with “a cheeky zest for life”.

She grew up in Clontarf in the Northern Beaches of Sydney and went to Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School and Mackellar Girls High School.

She studied nursing with Royal Far West in Manly – “a good fit for her caring nature”.

Ms Lewis had a natural talent for music and art and “in her later years those creative talents turned to knitting”.

“She had such a caring and warm heart,” her sister said.

Ms Lewis most recently worked at Multitask Disability Care in Lismore.

The woman accused of murdering Ms Lewis was arrested at Maclean on August 27, 2020.

Richmond Police District Superintendent Scott Tanner said shortly after that Ms Lewis and the woman were known to each other.

“ ... I just want to reassure the public we are alleging the parties were known to each other so there was no randomness to this crime,” he said.

“There was no previous history between the parties that was reported to police.

“A neighbour had an arrangement to meet up with the victim. That neighbour has attended the house at around 10.30am on the Saturday and they then made the discovery of the victim inside.”

The accused’s barrister, JP Watts, told the court the case had a “long history” but was progressing after almost three years.

Both the defence and the Department of Public Prosecutions were resolving “procedural issues” before the case could be committed to the Supreme Court.

The case was adjourned to May 24 and the accused woman remained in custody on remand.