Samantha Fraser celebrated her birthday with friends before being murdered
A court has heard the final few days of slain mum Samantha Fraser, which included being “petrified” for her safety, before allegedly being killed by her estranged husband.
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Slain mum Samantha Fraser had escaped a cult and a cheating ex-husband before marrying the “monster” who would allegedly kill her, a court has heard.
Ms Fraser had celebrated her 38th birthday with friends at her Seagrove Way, Cowes home the night before she was killed.
Close friend, Lija Matthews, today told a Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court committal hearing she spent her last day alive “petrified” for her safety and had pre-empted her estranged husband, Adrian Basham, 42, would kill her.
“She was petrified of the monster over there,” she said, as she glared at Mr Basham sitting in the dock.
“She thought this outcome was going to happen.”
Mr Basham is charged with the murder of Ms Fraser, a psychologist, whose body was discovered in the garage of her home in July 23, 2018, in scene made to appear as a suicide.
Ashlee Bowen, a friend and hairdresser to Ms Fraser, said the mum told her she “wanted Adrian to go to jail” weeks before her death.
She was so scared for her childrens’ welfare that she had formulated a “safety plan” to get them out of the house quick.
“If the children needed to get out they would run to my house,” said Ms Bowen, who lived a short distance away.
“My mum knew if three kids came to the house, she needed to get them inside, lock the door and call police.”
The court heard Ms Fraser grew up in a small religious cult, Two by Two, and was “disowned by extended family members” when she made the decision to leave.
She went on to marry and divorce her first husband after about year and met Mr Basham at a beach in Phillip Island soon after.
After their second separation in 2017, Mr Basham plotted to financially cripple Ms Fraser to try get her back, the court heard.
“He said he would take away things like the house, car and money,” said his former surfing mate, Peter Matthews.
Mr Matthews’ fears for Ms Fraser, also a friend, became so great he wrote a letter to local police already investigating serious matters relating to Mr Basham and his estranged wife.
After this Mr Basham became “completely manic” in phone conversations with him, and “aggressively” pursued Mr Matthews in the surf at Phillip Island the month he allegedly killed Ms Fraser, the court heard.
She had installed new locks, sensor lights and had her parents live with her for her safety before her death.
Psychologist and Mensline Australia founder, Terry Melvin, saw Mr Basham and Ms Fraser both together and separately at his practice and formed the view early on that he was dealing with an alleged “perpetrator of family violence”.
Wearing a white ribbon on his suit jacket, Mr Melvin told the court Mr Basham owed up to abusing his wife on one occasion and would often justify or minimise his actions.
“There was evidence of controlling behaviours, intimidation, financial control and an episode of physical violence,” he said.
Ms Fraser told a friend she had contracted a sexually transmitted disease by Mr Basham, the court heard.
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The morning of Ms Fraser’s death she dropped her three kids at school and met Ms Matthews for coffee before a scheduled job interview at Bass Coast Health Centre.
She was looking forward to the opportunity of becoming financially independent again.
Ms Matthews told the court she called her about 11am to see how the interview went but there was no answer.
Her body was discovered later that day.
The hearing continues.