Rodney Scarman killed over $160 drug deal gone wrong: Coroner’s court
A coronial inquest into the death of a man found crammed into an apartment block’s utility box has found he was likely murdered by a transgender prostitute.
Fairfield
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A MAN whose body was found stuffed in an electrical cupboard when a neighbour noticed blood seeping onto the floor was likely murdered over a drug deal gone wrong with transgender prostitutes, an inquest has heard.
Rodney Scarman, a disability pensioner living in Waterloo government housing, is said to have paid $160 to transgender prostitute Lynda Hartley on December 22, 2011 – three days before his death on Christmas Day -- for cannabis that he was never given, the court heard.
The failed drug deal ate up all but $10 of Mr Scarman’s weekly pension.
A neighbour found Rodney Scarman’s body in his Waterloo apartment building on Boxing Day, 2011. Some of the questions surrounding the 52-year-old’s death were answered during a coronial inquest today at Lidcombe’s Coroner’s Court, but many remain without answer, weighing heavily on his family.
“My thoughts are constantly consumed with what happened and dealing with the emotions and thoughts about the way he lost his life,” Robyn Turner, Mr Scarman’s sister, said in an address to the court.
“His final hours and moments, and the way his body was left stuffed and hidden in a cupboard … His last moments would’ve been filled with terror, pain and fear.
“I often wonder if anyone will ever be held responsible.”
Police have told the court they do not have enough evidence to charge a suspect despite their many years investigating.
Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott said in her findings Mr Scarman’s death was likely the result of a drug deal gone wrong with a transgender prostitute.
Ms Truscott said he tried to send a message when he left a basket on the doorstep of another transgender prostitute’s home, Daniella Woodward, a friend of Ms Hartley who lived a few houses away.
The message was painted on the inside of the basket and read, “Lynn. 4/113. 160 by 6pm tonight. At 7pm will be ringing my debt collector”.
Ms Truscott referenced the findings of the police investigation and noted they found Mr Scarman was agitated in the days leading up to his death. Witnesses told police he was seen yelling at other transgender people he believed associated with Ms Hartley, the court heard.
“How stupid are you to rip me off, we live on the same street,” witnesses alegedly told police investigators.
“You owe me $160. I’ll get even with you, you keep this up and I will kill you.”
Detective Sergeant Michael Egan, who led the investigation over the last nine years, concluded only one suspect had not been eliminated, but that the evidence did not meet the threshold for charges.
“The officer in charge believes Daniella Woodward was responsible for his death,” Ms Truscott said.
Ms Truscott referenced the findings of Mr Egan’s police investigation.
The police suspect Mr Scarman confronted Ms Woodward at her home regarding the message in the basket, when an altercation took place and resulted in the serious head injuries that led to Mr Scarman’s death.
She said police believe Ms Woodward placed the body in a wheeled garbage bin with the intention of returning it to his flat.
But when she returned to his two-storey apartment building on Walker St, she was foiled by the stairs, resorting then to hiding the body in the building’s gas-and-electricity utility box, Ms Truscott said.
It is suspected Ms Woodward then entered his apartment and cleaned Mr Scarman’s blood off herself in his bathroom, leaving traces of it on the bathroom door, the toilet, bath mat and down a curtain, the police investigation concluded.
Police also suspect she sweeped the property for drugs and money, Ms Truscott said.
“Detective Egan has reviewed the brief of evidence and … has concluded that there is currently insufficient evidence to charge this person,” she said in the court findings.
“Thank you, (Detective Egan), for a very dedicated investigation where you were led on many wild goose chases.
“I hope advances in technology will result in the homicide being a solved homicide.”
Mr Scarman’s case remains opened and has been transferred to the NSW Police’s unsolved homicide squad.
The family said the findings helped, but still left them with questions.
“I think we’re closer, but I want someone to be charged and sentenced,” Mr Scarman’s sister said.
Rodney Scarman inquest report: https://coroners.nsw.gov.au/coroners-court/download.html/documents/findings/2020/Scarman__Findings.pdf
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