Killer who helped search for his victim is jailed for 20 years

JOSHUA Kane thought he was going for a walk with friends. But they had an 18-inch machete and were taking him to a place ominously named Lake Surprise.

IT was on a hike to Lake Surprise that Joshua Kane drew his last breath.

The 20-year-old was walking with three people he thought were his friends. It was a summer night in January 2016 as the group made their way along the walking track in Victoria’s Mount Eccles National Park. Mr Kane had no idea of the danger he was in.

He’d been lured to the secluded spot by the suggestion of a hike — and he had no reason to suspect his three companions were plotting his death

Samuel Worthy, 21, delivered the fatal blow. With an 18-inch machete in his hands, he hacked at Mr Kane and caused him to fall to the ground. Police were later told he cried out for Worthy to stop. But he didn’t.

Two others, Lanie Snell, 35, and Stuart Campbell, 21, watched the horror unfold. But they were no innocent bystanders. They did nothing to help, and along with Worthy, returned to the murder scene the next day to get rid of any incriminating evidence.

They were united then, but that bond didn’t last. When homicide detectives came calling, their deception unravelled and they turned on each other.

In the Supreme Court today, Worthy was jailed for 20 years for the “brutal, calculated and senseless” murder of Mr Kane.

Josh Kane, 20, had no idea his friends were leading him to his death.

“You deceived him into going with you ... so you could carry out your attack,” said Justice Jane Dixon. “Once at Mount Eccles, you approached Joshua Kane from behind in a cowardly and despicable manner.”

Snell and Campbell have already been sentenced for their roles in the murder. Snell was jailed for at least 15 years and Campbell was sentenced to serve 12 years with a non-parole period of nine years.

Campbell later gave evidence against Worthy. He told the Victoria Supreme Court they had made it halfway around Lake Surprise and had stopped and smoked a bong. They then walked single file back when Worthy swung the machete twice into the side of Mr Kane’s neck.

“Josh was screaming and begging, he was holding the side of his neck where he had been hit,” Campbell said. ​

“Josh was screaming and begging for Sam to stop. It continued for a while.”

The machete was covered in blood and Mr Kane managed to get away. Back at the car park, Campbell heard him calling for help,.

“He called ‘help, help Sam, come here, help’,” he said.

Campbell said Worthy and Snell disappeared from view with the machete. “Josh started screaming again and then it just stopped,” he said.

On the drive home, the panic set in, but they agreed to say they dropped him at Coles and never saw him again.

It emerged later in court that Worthy had spoken to Campbell about assaulting Mr Kane, something Snell encouraged to happen.

His killer helped to search for him after murdering him at Lake Surprise in Victoria’s Mount Eccles National Park.

The longer they spoke about what to do, the more violent the suggestions became. Eventually talk about an assault, including a desire about breaking his legs. At some point, murder crossed their minds.

On his final day, Mr Kane was picked up from the Hamilton caravan park he lived in by his three killers.

His body was discovered on the track six days later. His family launched a desperate search for him — and even Worthy joined in to keep up the charade of not knowing where he was.

Even though Worthy killed Mr Kane, it was Snell who was considered to be the mastermind of the murder.

At her sentencing hearing, Justice Dixon likened her to manipulative Shakespearean character Lady Macbeth “in the sense she was perhaps standing by and encouraging”.

It was the breach of trust the judge found particularly disgraceful. As was the reason why the trio wanted Mr Kane dead.

The Supreme Court has previously heard Snell was furious at Mr Kane for calling her young son “lazy” and speaking to him in a derogatory way, something the judge said was the “thinnest” of motives.

Worthy’s motivation was less clear. He had also developed animosity toward Mr Kane, the judge said, but he had been unwilling to speak about his motivation for the killing.

To make his decision even more baffling, he was best mates with Mr Kane, and came from a supportive family.

Worthy was ordered to serve at least 16 years in prison before being eligible for parole.

— With AAP

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