Scott Alan Murdoch pleads guilty to murdering Melbourne mum Kylie Blackwood
Six years after he left a Melbourne mum bleeding to death on her couch in front of her 11-year-old twin girls, Scott Murdoch has pleaded guilty.
National
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Vicious crook Scott Alan Murdoch has admitted murdering a Melbourne mum and months earlier leaving a woman with horrific injuries in her own home.
The 41-year-old pleaded guilty today to murdering Kylie Blackwood and intentionally causing serious injury to Ilona Prohaska during robberies gone wrong.
His confessions came as the Supreme Court prepared to assemble a jury for his criminal trial.
In May 2013, Murdoch broke into Ms Prohaska’s home, knocking the 73-year-old to the ground, cutting her throat, breaking her spine and shoulder but stealing just $70 cash and a debit card.
In August the same year Murdoch struck again, stabbing Ms Blackwood, 42, repeatedly and leaving her with multiple wounds to her neck and chest.
She died after being discovered bleeding to death on her couch by her 11-year-old twin daughters.
Murdoch had previously denied the murder.
But he pleaded guilty at the last chance and also confessed to the vicious attack of Ms Prohaska after the latter charge was downgraded from attempted murder.
Advances in technology helped police pin Murdoch to his crimes years later when he was identified as a strong potential match to DNA found on Ms Blackwood’s jeans and Ms Prohaska’s jumper.
Ms Blackwood was unresponsive when discovered by her daughters, who had walked home from school after their mother failed to collect them.
Ms Prohaska, a widowed Hungarian immigrant, had opened her door to Murdoch, believing he was a tradesman she’d been expecting.
She later told police he used a hammer to pound a knife into each side of her neck as she screamed for help.
Murdoch faced court dressed in a cotton T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.
He is due to appear before Justice Jane Dixon again on August 16 for a further mention before sentencing.
Originally published as Scott Alan Murdoch pleads guilty to murdering Melbourne mum Kylie Blackwood
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