Christos Panagakos faces hearing charged with manslaughter over shooting death of Gold Coast woman Ivona Jovanovic

A witness who saw a gun spinning on the ground next to her initially thought Ivona Jovanovic had “hurt her nail” when she had been fatally shot at a Gold Coast home.

A witness who saw a gun spinning on the ground next to her initially thought Ivona Jovanovic had “hurt her nail” when she had been fatally shot in the stomach at a Gold Coast home.

Ms Jovanovic was shot while at her ex-boyfriend 30-year-old Christos Panagakos’ home on September 8, 2019.

Christos Panagakos (left) with his lawyer Michael Gatenby outside Southport Courthouse. Picture: Lea Emery

Panagakos, who has links to the Mongols and Finks outlaw motorcycle gangs, has been charged with manslaughter.

Panagakos’ mother Michelle Panagakos told a committal hearing in the Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday she had been speaking to Ms Jovanovic moments before she was shot.

Ms Panagakos said they were speaking about their hair when she walked into the laundry to do some washing. She told the court it was then that she heard a loud noise.

Ms Panagakos said she came back into the room to see Ms Jovanovic pacing up and down.

“I wasn’t sure what had happened to her,” she said.

“I thought she hurt her nail … there was no physical injury … there was no blood and she was walking up and down.

Ivona Jovanovic.

“She had basically said she had been shot … as I looked on the ground I could see right next to her a gun spinning.”

Ms Panagakos said when she walked back into the room she saw her son walking up the stairs and the head of another man.

She said Ms Jovanovic asked them to call an ambulance and she and her son did so.

Ms Panagakos told the court her son spoke to Ms Jovanovic and held a towel to her stomach.

She said he left as the ambulance arrived.

Ms Panagakos said she did not see the other man again.

Christos Panagakos and Ivona Jovanovic.

Another man, Daine Walker, said he was so intoxicated by drugs including Xanax, ice and fantasy, that he could not recall what happened on the night of Mr Jovanovic’s death or if he was there.

The court was told police believed Walker had bundled up guns and taken them outside.

The hearing was delayed for some time after a police officer had what appeared to be a seizure while giving evidence.

Panagakos’ friend Thomas Findlater said he spent the day with the landscaper prior to Ms Jovanovic’s shooting.

He said he did not really know what to say to police.

“It was a pretty normal day … we just went shopping,” he said.

Mr Findlater left Panagakos’ home prior to the shooting, the court was told.

He said his memories of the day were “vague” as he was on ice and fantasy at the time and did not really remember who else was there.

Mr Findlater told the court Panagakos had taken some prescription painkillers for back pain but was not aware he had taken other drugs.

He said he also saw Ms Jovanovic arrive at the home as he was leaving.

Mr Findlater said he did not see anyone with a gun and he had never seen anyone with a gun in Panagakos’ home.

The committal hearing was adjourned to June 28 when three more witnesses will give evidence.

Police officer passes out in court

A police officer suffered a medical episode and passed out while giving evidence in a committal hearing into the shooting death of Ivona Jovanovic.

Queensland Police homicide Detective Senior Constable Reid Taylor was in the midst of cross-examination by defence lawyer Michael Gatenby when he went pale and appeared to suffer a seizure.

He remained sitting up while he lost consciousness.

Mr Gatenby, prosecutor Natalie Lima, Magistrate Dzenita Balic and accused Christos Panagakos all went to help.

Det Sen Const Taylor came too shortly after, declined an ambulance and said he was ready to continue.
Magistrate Balic adjourned to court so he could have a break.

After he saw a first aid officer, an ambulance was called.

Det Sen Const Taylor will continue giving evidence when the committal hearing resumes on June 28.