Man accused of brutal murder of wife on Mindil Beach committed to stand trial

A MAN accused of murdering his partner after she was found stripped naked, unresponsive and covered in injuries on the shore of Mindil Beach has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court.

The 40-year-old woman was found unresponsive on Darwin’s beloved Mindil Beach and died in hospital shortly after. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

• Man accused of murdering his wife on Mindil Beach to face trial
• Accused murderer allegedly beat wife, dragged her into ocean
• Man charged with Mindil beach murder

A MAN accused of murdering his partner after she was found stripped naked, unresponsive and covered in injuries on the shore of Mindil Beach has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court.

Garsek Nawirridj, 39, appeared in the Darwin Local Court today where he stands charged with arson and the murder of a 40-year-old woman who cannot be named for cultural reasons.

Emergency services were called to the scene at Mindil Beach about 9.45pm on December 23, 2019 where the deceased was found and tended to by police and paramedics.

They were able to re-gain a weak pulse before taking her to the Royal Darwin Hospital, but she died about 2.30am.

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The court heard from forensic pathologist at the Royal Darwin Hospital Dr John Rutherford, who performed the autopsy on the alleged victim.

Dr Rutherford said the primary cause of death was blunt force head injuries suffered “in the last few hours before death”.

He said she suffered a number of “boxer’s type injuries” typically caused by “a blow from the fist” and that she had bruising around her neck consistent with “a broad based piece of material scraped or pulled tight against the neck.”

However, when cross-examined by Nawirridj’s defence lawyer Marty Aust, Dr Rutherford said it was unclear if the woman eventually lost her life from her “brain condition” or because she stopped breathing because of “damage to the lungs from inhaling water”.

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The matter will have its first appearance at the Darwin Supreme Court on March 11.