Convicted killer Bradley Murdoch makes first public appearance in years at Chris Malyschko inquest, as Zak Grieve also testifies

NOTORIOUS murderer Bradley Murdoch has made his first public appearance in years at a coronial inquest into the death of the NT’s first known contract killer, Chris Malyschko, and a NT News sketch artist was there to capture the moment.

Bradley Murdoch arrives under police escort at Darwin Airport to face murder charges in relation to the death of British backpacker Peter Falconio. Picture: Patrina Malone

• Bradley Murdoch, Zak Grieve to give evidence at inquest into Chris Malyschko’s death in prison

NOTORIOUS murderer Bradley Murdoch has made his first public appearance in years at a coronial inquest into the death of the NT’s first known contract killer, Chris Malyschko.

Murdoch, as well as other well-known prisoners including Zak Grieves, appeared in the Darwin Local Court today for the second day of the inquest.

The 62-year-old was asked to give evidence on the prevalence of synthetic cannabis, known as ‘Kronic’ in Sector 7 of the Darwin Correction Centre – what is believed to have killed Malyschko.

The inquest heard yesterday that Malyschko was found dead in his cell on the morning of August 20 last year, with a forensic pathologist ruling his death was caused by “positional asphyxia” from Kronic use and obesity.

A court sketch of Bradley Murdoch at the inquest. Picture: Stuart Thornton

Murdoch told the inquest he was known as “the grumpy one” on the sector and that use of Kronic was rampant in the lead up to Malyschko’s death.

He said he called a meeting with the sector just days before to complain about use of the drug among the inmates.

“I growled at the whole house, I said I’ve had enough of it,” he said. “

“You don’t want to see it, it’s not a nice sight.

“At the end of it I said someone’s going to die from this, and three days later (Malyschko died)”.

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Chris Malyschko as photographed by police shortly after his arrest in October 2011. Photo copied from Brief of Evidence. (ZAKGRIEVESPECIAL)

Malyschko’s co-accused and good friend Zak Grieve, who was also convicted of murder even though he pulled out at the eleventh hour, also gave evidence at the inquest .

Grieve said the pair of them were heavily addicted to Kronic in the lead up to Malyschko’s death, resulting in Malyschko being let go from his job in the kitchen.

“He’s gone from being a productive guy working 12 hours a day to being made redundant, to sitting in the library in the airconditioning with his feet up,” Grieve said.

The inquest also heard yesterday that Malyschko was found with some other mysterious injuries at the time of his death including severe bruising to his stomach and chest and lacerations to his anus.

When asked about this, Grieve said that he did not believe the injuries were not from “any form of sexual conduct.”

“I know for a fact that that is not possible, he’s not that way inclined,” he said.

Malyschko had served eight years of a life sentence for the killing of Ray Niceforo – his mother Bronwyn Buttery’s abusive ex-partner in 2011 in Katherine.

Zak Grieve’s mother Glenice Grieve attended the inquest at the Darwin Magistrates Court. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

Ms Buttery pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was released on parole several years ago.

Other prisoners called to give evidence included Shane Thomas, who bashed, stabbed and then dismembered Marshall Haritos in 2004, and Phu Trinh who killed two Thai sex workers when he was a teenager.

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Ms Buttery tearfully addressed the inquest, saying Malyschko’s crime was “driven by love and a sense of duty to me and his brother”.

The inquest continues.

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