Larissa Sant charged with murder over alleged hit-and-run death of Kiesha Thompson at Daisy Hill
Police will today return to the scene of an alleged hit-and-run murder of a young mum south of Brisbane, as they investigate new allegations. It comes as officers say the alleged “horrendous crime” had taken its toll on investigators.
QLD News
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Police are investigating whether young mum Kiesha Thompson was being watched two days before her alleged murder as she left a nearby childcare centre where her little girl attends.
The 23-year-old was killed on Friday morning as she walked home alone from the centre on Allamanda Dr, Daisy Hill, when a Toyota Prado mounted the footpath and struck her.
Detectives have alleged the 4WD was being driven by Ms Thompson’s ex-partner’s new girlfriend, 24-year-old Larissa Rita Mae-Leigh Sant.
Both Sant and Ms Thompson’s ex-partner, Tyler Scott William James, 27, have been charged with murder, with police alleging they came up with the plan to kill the young mother together. They have not entered any pleas.
Police are ramping up their investigations in the area where Ms Thompson was killed, a mobile police beat set up next to the daycare centre where she had dropped off her daughter in the minutes before her death.
Detective Inspector Chris Knight has appealed to the public to cast their minds back to Wednesday, July 17, in case they saw or have vision of a silver Toyota Prado in the vicinity of Allamanda Dr.
“We’ve reached some important milestones as a direct consequence of people contacting Crime Stoppers and speaking with investigators,” he said.
“And I want to please reaffirm that community appeal because we are still looking for dashcam or witnesses or anybody who has transitioned through that Allamanda Dr, Daisy Hill area on the morning of last Friday, the 19th, but also Wednesday the 17th.
“Please cast your minds back over those two days or any time previously.”
Police initially thought Ms Thompson’s death was a result of a traffic crash but soon shifted to a homicide focus.
Sant was arrested on Saturday and her car seized by police following intensive inquiries by detectives.
She was charged with murder (domestic violence), with her matter briefly mentioned in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday.
James was arrested later that day and was also charged with murder (domestic violence). He did not appear in person when his case was briefly heard in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Det Insp Knight said police would allege James helped plan Ms Thompson’s murder, while Sant was allegedly alone in the Prado when it struck the mother of his child.
“We will certainly be alleging he was a participant in that murder,” he said.
“We believe that he was a participant in the planning and preparation of that offence.”
The experienced detective said the case had taken its toll on investigators.
“I’ve been an investigator for more than 30 years, spent a large portion of my career doing homicide ... and I can honestly say there are features in this investigation that will stay with me.
“It’s a horrendous crime.”
Det Insp Knight said the two arrests were an important “milestone” for detectives but that did not take away from the tragedy of a young woman’s death.
“My colleagues … spent a lot of time yesterday with Kiesha’s family,” he said.
“They are grieving the loss of their niece, their sister. She was a mother.
“The impact (her death) will have on her family is tremendous.
“We don’t lose sight of the fact that (the arrests) … it doesn’t change a great deal in their eyes. They are still without their loved one and nothing anyone can do can change that.
“And that’s the tragedy in this.
“It’s an important milestone in our investigation … but it doesn’t bring Kiesha back.”
Det Insp Knight said police will allege Ms Thompson and James, who shared one child, had separated months ago.
“We will allege that the relationship was over, and was over for some months prior to the homicide,” he said.
Police will be at Allamanda Dr on Wednesday morning hoping to speak with people coming and going through the area.
“As of tomorrow morning, we will have a very large police presence down in Allamanda Dr,” Det Insp Knight said on Tuesday.
“We’ll be highly visible and we’ll be doing that in the hope that somebody who is yet to come forward will have the opportunity to walk up, say hello to the police and they will have yet another opportunity to engage with us.
“We would welcome and encourage people to contact us and please allow investigators to review anything you might have to add, whether it’s an opinion or an observation, so that we can put it in context of the evidence that we’ve collated.”
Ms Thompson’s family delivered an emotional video message in honour of the young mother on Monday, saying her little girl was the light of her life.
Aunt Amanda Matthias said they were struggling to comprehend what had happened to Ms Thompson.
“Despite the immediate and heroic efforts of the first responders, we sadly lost Kiesha later that day.
“We are deeply grateful for those who worked tirelessly to save her.”
Her brother, Koby Torto said Ms Thompson tried to create the best life for her daughter.
“She had nothing short of a difficult life, but in the past couple of years she worked tirelessly to create the best life for not only her, for her child, who was the absolute light of her life,” Mr Torto said.
Sister Keyara Thompson said they had set up a GoFundMe to help raise Ms Thompson’s daughter.
“The pain of losing Kiesha cannot be put into words, we are struggling with the enormity of her absence in our life,” Ms Thompson said.
“In honour of Kiesha, we are starting a Go Fund Me page to ensure that her daughter has the best life possible that we can provide for her, without her mother.”
Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000
Originally published as Larissa Sant charged with murder over alleged hit-and-run death of Kiesha Thompson at Daisy Hill
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