Joshua Wright jailed for the fatal shooting of housemate John Simpson at Laguna

A man who brutally shot his housemate before dumping his body in a shallow grave on their remote Hunter Valley rental property following a dispute over rent and his dogs has been sentenced.

Police on the Laguna property on July 18, 2023. Authorities were conducting a search as part of their investigation into the murder of John Simpson. Picture: Dan Proudman.

A man who brutally shot his housemate before dumping his body in a shallow grave on their remote Hunter Valley rental property following a dispute over rent and his dogs has been jailed for at least 12 years.

Joshua David Wright – also known as ‘Bob’ – pleaded guilty to murdering John Simpson on April 13, 2023 when he shot him twice at his Laguna property.

The now 35-year-old also pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm – relating to a .223 calibre rifle stolen from a Rothbury winery in 2018.

In the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Wright was sentenced to 17 years and three months jail with a non-parole period of 12 years.

The court heard in the weeks leading up to the shooting there was a dispute between the pair that Wright – who was not on the lease but had been living at the Great North Rd property for around three and a half years – had not paid rent and there was a notice of eviction.

John Simpson was shot dead at his Laguna property in 2023 by his housemate. Picture: NSW Police

Joshua Wright was extradited from Victoria over the murder of housemate John Simpson. Picture: NSW Police

“Make me,” the court heard Wright said to Mr Simpson.

The court also heard he was angry at his housemate for wrongly thinking he had reported him to the RSPCA and his two rottweiler dogs had been taken away from him for being malnourished.

John Simpson, 34, was a farm handyman at Laguna before being shot dead: NSW Police.

The court heard it was the owner of the property who called the RSPCA about the condition of the pets before the animal welfare organisation called Mr Simpson and they were told where the dogs were.

It was also heard the owner cooked some food for the malnourished dogs and gave it to them on April 13 before the RSPCA arrived to find them “emaciated” and seized them, handing Wright’s other housemate the paperwork.

It was later Wright, who had gone and purchased some food for the dogs, arrived home and saw they were missing.

The court heard he was angry at Mr Simpson thinking he had called the RSPCA and when his housemate arrived home later that night, he went to the shed where the pair had an argument before the 34-year-old was shot once in the chest and then in the upper back.

It was the Crown case Wright went to the cupboard in the kitchen and retrieved the rifle before he walked to the shed to confront Mr Simpson before shooting him in “quick succession”, citing the killing was planned and methodical.

Wright on his arrest. Picture: NSW Police

But it was argued the shooting happened after an altercation with Mr Simpson who had first swung the rifle at Wright and the gun discharged before he collapsed onto the ground.

It was disputed Wright’s first shot was accidental due to the altercation before he picked the gun up off the ground and fired his second shot deliberately.

About 30 minutes after the shooting, the court heard Wright went back to the house and said: “I finally shot the c--t” to his other housemate before he enlisted his help, and placed Mr Simpson’s body into a wheelbarrow before he pushed it into nearby bush.

The court heard Wright called a friend and hired a ute from Bunnings to retrieve the body wrapped in plastic awning and dumped it in a shallow grave on nearby land.

A search was prompted by Strike Force Blakely detectives after Mr Simpson was reported missing by his employer when the farm handyman hadn’t turned up for work for several days.

The court heard Wright continued to lie about what happened to Mr Simpson saying he had done a “runner”.

SES volunteers search bushland at Laguna for John Simpson when he was reported missing. Image: NBN News.

Following a raid on the Laguna property in May, items of Mr Simpson were found burnt out in a fire pit including clothes and number plates.

On May 16 police also raided another property and found “disturbed ground” and the gruesome find in a neatly dug grave, with Wright’s DNA also discovered on rope.

The 35-year-old was extradited from Victoria three months later and charged with murder.

On Friday, Justice Richard Cavanaugh SC said it was not established that the shooting was part of a planned or a premeditated attack and was unable to make a finding of what actually happened in the shed.

He also noted that it was not known, or that there was enough credible evidence from witnesses, whether there was an altercation before the first shot, although it was clear Wright was angry with Mr Simpson over his dogs being seized.

Mr Cavanaugh said the shooting seemed spontaneous but that it was aggravated because it happened in Mr Simpson’s home, the offender was on parole, he sought to conceal the body and provide false information to the authorities.

Wright won’t be eligible for parole until August 2035.