Mooroopna man Aaron James Hare pleads not guilty to murder of Echuca’s Martin George Hare
A Mooroopna man will stand trial charged over the murder of an Echuca man who died on the Melbourne Cup weekend.
Goulburn Valley
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A Mooroopna man will fight a murder charge at trial after his lawyers previously flagged mental impairment for the diagnosed schizophrenic.
Aaron James Hare, 30, pleaded not guilty at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court to the murder of Martin George Hare at a home on McSwain Rd, Echuca.
Emergency services arrived to find Martin Hare dead about 7.30pm on November 2, with homicide detectives charging Aaron Hare on November 4.
It is believed the men were known to each other.
Mr Hare’s lawyer Tim Marsh told the court the accused killer had elected to stand trial in the Supreme Court without a committal proceeding where the strength of the evidence in the case would be tested.
No further details around the accused killer’s defence were revealed when he pleaded not guilty, however, his lawyers had previously told the court that Mr Hare was schizophrenic which had made him unfit for interview by detectives by way of mental impairment.
Magistrate Dominic Lennon committed Mr Hare to stand trial in the Supreme Court where his case will be heard for a directions hearing later in May.
Mr Hare remains remanded in custody.
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