Murdered Phillip Island mum Samantha Fraser accused ex-husband of nine assaults
THE ex-husband of murdered Phillip Island mother of three Samantha Fraser is due to face court today charged with nine counts of assaulting her.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE ex-husband of murdered Phillip Island mother of three Samantha Fraser is due to face court today charged with nine counts of assaulting her.
Adrian Basham — a person of interest in Ms Fraser’s death — is scheduled to face Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court today over the serious allegations.
Homicide squad investigators questioned the 41-year-old after Ms Fraser’s body was found in her garage six days ago. He was released pending further inquiries.
SAMANTHA FRASER’S FATHER WANTS TO BRING HER JUSTICE
He was charged with the assaults last September. His ex-wife had sought protection from him.
Ms Fraser, 38, a respected local psychologist, feared for her life in the months before her death.
She had the locks changed at her Seagrove Way home a month ago and had moved her parents in for protection.
Cowes locals last night held a vigil in her memory at a makeshift memorial in the town centre where scores placed flowers and white ribbons, a symbol against domestic violence.
Her dad Trevor Fraser attended and thanked the community for its support. He revealed that he and wife Janine were in New York visiting their son when the tragic news came through last week.
“We came home as quick as we could,’’ he said. “Thank you for standing up for Samantha. She truly was a remarkable woman, a remarkable mother and a remarkable daughter.
“If anyone can help us in any way, enabling us to bring her justice, the person who created this travesty, then please come forward.”
Mr Fraser said his wife was staying in Melbourne with Ms Fraser’s children, their grandchildren.
Mr Fraser’s killer struck about a week after her parents left for the US.
Friends said Mr Basham was “aggressive” and “domineering” and had not coped since splitting with Ms Fraser about two years ago.
Her neighbour Toni Smith said Mr Basham had been madly in love with Ms Fraser. Ms Smith said her partner had recently received a call from Mr Basham, begging he go next door and tell his kids he loved them.
Ms Smith said Mr Basham also “verbally abused” her about six months ago when she refused to give him information about his ex-wife.
Ms Fraser’s death has rocked the tight-knit Cowes community. Forensic experts are testing whether someone interfered with the scene where Ms Fraser was found dead.
Close friends said she “lived for her children” and would never leave them. She dropped her two daughters and son at Cowes Primary School last Monday and had coffee with friends at her favourite local cafe.
But she never made it to a noon appointment and failed to collect her children from school, with staff contacting police.
The murder investigation was made public four days after her death.
Homicide squad Detective Sgt Stephen Sheahan on Friday said the public had no reason to be fearful.
Investigators urged anyone with information or dashcam footage taken on Phillip Island on Monday July 23 to come forward.
Mr Basham — a fly-in-fly-out worker at Barrow Island gas plant off the WA coast — has ranted online about the “absolutely unjust” court system, saying it prevented estranged fathers from seeing their children.
“The current legal system is now enabling women who are willing to lie and manipulate for financial gain to create the next stolen generation,” he wrote on Facebook in February.
“Parental alienation should be tested in court and a punishable offence. It is child abuse.”