Tinder-date accused of lying in Timothy Hunt murder trial
A woman who claims her Tinder-date committed a gruesome murder repeatedly lied to police, a court has heard, with a lawyer accusing her of being involved in the savage killing. Details.
A young woman who claims her Tinder date commited a gruesome murder has been accused of fabricating a story to try and “downplay” her involvement in the killing, with the court hearing she repeatedly changed her story to police investigating the homicide.
Darwin truckie Timothy Hunt is charged with murdering Tony Rowe, who vanished after he left the Hibiscus Tavern on May 28, 2022.
His remains were found a year later.
At the NT Supreme Court on Monday, Mr Hunt pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Rowe but not guilty to his murder.
This week, Jazmin Shier, who was Mr Hunt’s Tinder date and a key witness to the trial, claimed she watched her new fling viciously bash Mr Rowe before he cut his throat.
She also claims she was with him when he dumped the body at an isolated location near Darwin and set fire to it.
On Friday morning, her version of events were challenged when Mr Hunt’s lawyer, Marty Aust, cross-examined her.
“You were scared police were going to arrest you for being involved in a homicide - that is correct yes?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“And you were paranoid you were going to get caught, weren’t you?” he suggested.
“Yes,” she said.
Mr Aust put to Ms Shier she was primarily “scared” about being caught by the police.
“You were prepared to do or say whatever was required to save your own skin, do you agree?” he asked.
“No,” she replied.
“You were prepared to lie to police or to choose what you did or didn’t tell them to try and avoid your own guilt in the homicide, is that true?” he asked.
“No,” she said again.
Mr Aust pressed on.
“Did you in fact lie to police over and over and over again?” he asked.
“Yes, I never lied to them but…” she didn’t finish her sentence.
After a moment’s pause, Mr Aust put to Ms Shier she lied to police because she was “involved” in the beating that killed Mr Rowe.
“That’s not true,” she protested.
Mr Aust went further and accused Ms Shier of physically dumping Mr Rowe’s body in a boot and being the brains behind burning his corpse.
Ms Shier rejected the accusations.
After a short break, the court heard Ms Shier had formally spoken to police on 10 occasions before she made any mention of “toe cutting” and “throat cutting”.
“The (story) was, in fact, entirely fabricated wasn’t it?” Mr Aust asked.
“No,” she said.
Mr Aust pushed on.
“It was a story that would see you receiving full immunity if you came to court and told it to this jury,” he said.
“It wasn’t a story, it was the truth,” Ms Shier responded.
The trial continues.
