Yellow cleaning glove found next to body ‘key’ in alleged love trial murder case

A yellow cleaning glove found next to the body of a slain young ­father is key evidence that led police to charge a man over what they allege was a Sydney love-triangle murder.

Baziad was charged 20 years after a father's body was found weighed down with rocks in a Western Sydney river. Picture: NSW Police

A yellow cleaning glove found 20 years ago next to the body of a slain young father is key evidence that led police to charge a man over what they allege was a Sydney love triangle murder.

Police allege Gofal Baziad, now 52, had a “clear and profound motivation” to murder Jason Palmer, 34, in a Lakemba unit after he’d previously had an affair with Mr Palmer’s wife, Renny Palmer, in 2004.

Baziad, who used to live in Sydney before returning to his home country of Indonesia, allegedly stabbed Mr Palmer to death as he was the “one and only inhibiting factor” preventing Ms Palmer from joining him overseas.

The full story of how detectives gathered enough evidence to charge Baziad with murder this month – 20 years after the alleged killing – can now be revealed after The Daily Telegraph obtained a police fact sheet of the allegations against him.

According to the fact sheet, a group of children found the body of Mr Palmer in a sleeping bag that had allegedly been weighed down with rocks and dumped in the Nepean River near Menangle on February 29, 2004.

Gofal Baziad with Renny Palmer. Police allege Baziad murdered Ms Palmer’s husband so he could be with her. She is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Jason Palmer’s body was found submerged in the Nepean River.

He had suffered several fatal stab wounds and his limbs had been tied with rope.

Police also uncovered a yellow home-brand cleaning glove inside the sleeping bag next to Mr Palmer’s body.

The young father had last been seen alive about a month earlier, on the evening of February 6, when he, his wife and Baziad were at the couple’s house in Belfield.

Baziad and Ms Palmer had previously had a relationship after the Palmers had temporarily separated, but the married couple had reconciled with Baziad remaining close friends with Mr Palmer, police allege.

Baziad later recounted that on the night of February 6, Mr Palmer had told him he was planning to go out to a club, according to the court documents.

The pair left the Belfield home together and Mr Palmer was never seen alive again, police allege.

A month later, after Mr Palmer’s body was found, homicide detectives took over the case and went to Baziad’s Lakemba unit. Inside, detectives say they found a distinct patterned impression along the edges of the bathroom’s door.

Police will allege in court that the impression was from the same pair of gloves found next to Mr Palmer’s body.

They also found traces of blood along a corridor skirting board.

Testing later confirmed the blood was Mr Palmer’s, the police court documents allege.

But that is not the only piece of evidence that police will draw on to argue Baziad murdered Mr Palmer.

Police search along the Nepean River near Menangle after Mr Palmer’s body was found.

Baziad is arrested by police in Sydney this month.

Detectives also went outside and seized some rocks along Baziad’s driveway. The rocks were then analysed by CSIRO scientists alongside the rocks found in the sleeping bag with Mr Palmer’s body. The scientists found the rocks were the same Hawkesbury sandstone, according to the fact sheet.

Police also spoke to one of Baziad’s neighbours, who recalled seeing a distinctive blue-and-green sleeping bag that had been used as a curtain on one of the windows of Baziad’s flat, the court documents state.

High profile defence barrister Talal Krayem is defending Baziad.

Police will allege the neighbour’s description of the sleeping bag matched exactly the sleeping bag Mr Palmer’s body was found in.

Police also analysed phone records and allege Baziad called Ms Palmer when he was near Menangle on February 7, 2004, according to the court documents.

Ms Palmer has not been accused of any wrongdoing and had nothing to do with her husband’s death.

In March 2004, Baziad left Australia for Indonesia.

“The washing-up glove, the sleeping bag, the sandstone, (Mr Palmer’s) DNA (at the unit) and (Baziad’s) mobile phone being (near Menangle) is a confirmatory nexus between the body of the deceased, the accused and the accused’s (Lakemba) residence,” police allege in the fact sheet.

“On March 28, 2004, the accused left Australia, returning to Indonesia.

“Police will allege the accused departed Australia to avoid further investigative scrutiny while demonstrating a consciousness of guilt.”

Following Mr Palmer’s death, police allege Baziad rekindled a relationship with Ms Palmer, but they have since broken up.

Baziad recently returned to Sydney for work before he was arrested this month.

His lawyer, high-profile defence barrister Talal Krayem, declined to comment when asked about the case.

Baziad’s case remains before the courts.

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