Crown set to push ‘no body case’ against murder accused Eric Forrest

A ‘key’ witness in the alleged murder of convicted killer David Leonard Collisson has died with a court hearing more than 120 people across the state have given statements to detectives.

A ‘key’ witness in the alleged murder of convicted killer David Leonard Collisson has died with a court hearing more than 120 people have given statements to detectives probing the case.

Murder accused Eric James Forrest appeared in Dubbo Local Court from jail on Thursday where Crown solicitor Miranda Scott submitted the Director of Public Prosecutions is likely to proceed with the matter as a “no body case”.

Collisson, 53, who spent nearly 20 years in jail for the 2000 murder of 17-year-old Shahab Kargarian at Sydney’s Greenwich Point, was reported missing on October 15, 2023.

The NSW Homicide Squad launched Strike Force Utyana after the convicted murderer was reported missing to local police.

Forrest was arrested and charged with murder after burnt bones, suspected to be Collission’s, were found in a tree trunk at the deceased’s property near Mudgee.

The court previously heard the bones had been sent to a laboratory in the USA for forensic examination, however, on Thursday, Ms Scott submitted while the tests had indicated they were human remains, they could not determine if they were Collission’s.

David Collisson was 53 when he died.

The submission was made as Ms Scott asked for a further extension in the charge certification process given the “extraordinary” volume of evidence in the case.

Forrest’s lawyer Angus Bennett opposed the request with the accused also venting his frustration about the prospect of further delays.

David Collisson was convicted of the 2000 murder of 17-year-old Shahab Kargarian.

“This is my life, this should have already been done. It’s not rocket science,” Forrest said before Magistrate Aaron Tang muted the audiovisual link.

The court heard at least 28,000 pages of evidence needed to be examined before the case could proceed, with Ms Scott describing it as a “very complex task” which “takes time”.

The court heard the voluminous evidence contained phone records, bank statements and statements from more than 120 witnesses from locations including Dubbo, Mudgee, Gosford and Bankstown.

Two of the witnesses have given induced statements to detectives, however, the court heard one of them – Christopher Gillespie – died earlier this year.

The fresh information was heard in Dubbo Local Court on Thursday.

The court heard the Crown case was “heavily reliant” on the evidence of these two witnesses with Ms Scott submitting the admissibility of Mr Gillespie’s evidence would need to be reviewed.

Mr Tang acknowledged Forrest was “clearly frustrated” by the delay, but granted the Crown an extension to certify the charges which also include four firearm offences.

“It is in the interest of justice to grant an adjournment of six weeks,” the magistrate said.

The case will return to court on November 7.