Woman on murder charge after partner shot dead in Gold Coast home

THE daughter of a woman charged with shooting her partner dead has alleged abuse led to the killing.

THE daughter of a Gold Coast woman who allegedly shot her partner dead claims her mother was the victim of abuse before the killing.

Paanice Lawrence, 39, was yesterday charged with the murder of her partner of six months, Scott James Morrison.

The 46-year-old was found dead in Ms Lawrence’s Southport home early yesterday. Ms Lawrence, who was known as Paania, called triple-0 for help, but when paramedics arrived at 2am they were unable to save him.

“The only thing I want to say [is] my mum is not a murderer, he was abusing her — no one seen [sic] what happened behind closed doors. My mum never intended anything like this to happen,” the distraught daughter, who asked not to be named, claimed to news.com.au.

She said her mother loved Mr Morrison “so dearly” but claimed she was the victim of domestic violence.

“My mum loved him so dearly, but I could see she wasn’t happy at the same time. My mum has been through hell and back in her life and is fighting cancer and is very stressed and him abusing her wasn’t helping.”

Ms Lawrence’s daughter said she didn’t like Mr Morrison “from day one”.

Paania Lawrence being taken into the Southport Watch House before being charged with murder. Picture Mike Batterham

Police have said there was no known domestic violence between the couple, but officers were exploring whether there was violence that had not been reported to them.

When contacted by news.com.au her daughter claimed she was aware of times Mr Morrison had hit her mother but that Ms Lawrence had kept the alleged abuse quiet.

She told news.com.au she was in shock and pain over the shooting and the arrest. “I’m finding this very hard to deal with,” she said.

Adding to her pain has been the comments directed at her mother.

Ms Lawrence also has another child, a son who was reportedly at the Southport home at the time of the shooting.

“There is two sides to every story and seeing comments from people on news pages and that, about my Mum, isn’t helping,” she said. “There’s so much of what is being said that isn’t even true.”

She said she would support her mother through the court case.

“I’m behind my mum all the way I don’t care what she is made out to be on the news and social media — I know the truth. And I will always love my mum no matter what happens.”

Ms Lawrence showed no emotion during the brief appearance at the Southport Magistrates Court this morning. She wore a bright yellow over sized jumper as she sat silent in the dock, her unkempt hair covering her face.

Paania Lawrence is all smiles surrounded by her two children about 15 years ago. Photo: Supplied

Paania Lawrence as a teenager. Picture: Supplied

Magistrate Gary Finger agreed to her lawyer’s request for an adjournment, and sent the matter to the domestic violence court on January 12.

Ms Lawrence described her relationship status as “complicated” on her Facebook profile, which also indicated she quit a job in Auckland in 2016 and returned to Australia.

According to her Facebook profile she is originally from Berkeley Vale on the New South Wales Central Coast, but previously lived in New Zealand.

She was seen with tears streaming down her face as she spoke to police in a blue forensic suit outside her home.

Shortly after the man’s death, Ms Lawrence was escorted by detectives to the Southport Watchhouse and spent the day assisting police with their inquires. She was later charged with one count each of murder and unlawful possession of a category H weapon.

Paanice Lawrence aka Paania Lawrence being questioned outside the Southport home.

“Initial information indicates they were in an intimate relationship for the past six months,” Acting Detective Inspector Matt Ward told T he Gold Coast Bulletin.

“There is no knowledge of domestic violence ... but we are exploring whether there was any DV that has not been reported to police.”

The deceased man did not live at the Southport address.

Police said a male and female witness were also at the address at the time of the shooting.

A young child and two other adults are believed to have been in a caravan at the back of the property when the gun was allegedly fired.

Channel 9 reported the child was sleeping only metres away from where the shooting happened.

Police found a gun at the Southport home. Picture Mike Batterham

A gun has been located but police are still investigating whether it was the weapon used.

Acting Detective Inspector Ward said it was “disturbing” a gun has been fired in a suburban street and police were exploring how the weapon came to be in the possession of the shooter.

“There is legislation which controls people’s storage and possession (of guns) and that is something we are exploring,” he said.

— with Alexandra Utting

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Originally published as Woman on murder charge after partner shot dead in Gold Coast home