Details of how a set-up in retaliation to a drug swindle led to a Perth man from “a loving family” being charged with murder have been aired in court ahead of his sentencing.
Jaden Martinovich, 21, pleaded guilty to murder after stabbing a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a car park in August 2022.
Jaden Martinovich has pleaded guilty to murder over the stabbing death of a 17-year-old boy in North Perth.Credit: Facebook
Ahead of his sentencing, lawyers for the prosecution and Martinovich laid bare the details of how the incident unfolded in the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Martinovich, who was 18 years old and a BMW car salesman at the time, had arranged to sell dimethyltryptamine (DMT) to the teenager, but instead put bath salt crystals in a clip-seal bag in a bid to hoodwink the boy into giving him $250.
He drove with two others to a car park in North Perth for the sale, but unbeknown to him, one of his passengers was friends with the 17-year-old and had tipped him off about the scam.
In response, the pair planned to steal Martinovich’s Mazda, which actually belonged to his parents.
An altercation ensued – partially captured by City of Vincent rangers – in which the 17-year-old victim wielded a hammer and Martinovich brandished a foldable knife as the teen tried to take off in his car.
Hanging on to the car door, Martinovich pulled the boy from the vehicle and stabbed him in the chest, piercing his heart.
After, Martinovich was recorded on his car’s dashcam bragging about the altercation, saying, “that was a good f---ing stab as well, I felt it sink in”.
Prosecutor Justin Whalley told the court Martinovich could be heard saying he would “sleep like a baby tonight knowing I plunged a knife into some c---’s organs” and “I love doing that”.
The 17-year-old died days later after heart surgery.
Martinovich’s lawyer David Grace told the court on Tuesday the incident was “a tragedy”.
“And the victim impact statements speak eloquently of the effect of that loss of life. His mum, his family and that loss is incredibly regretted by the offender and the offender’s family,” Grace said.
“This was not a premeditated. He had no intention to kill, no intention to take life.”
Grace said Martinovich came from “a loving family” where his parents were “devoted to him” and he was given “every opportunity to advance himself”.
The court was told “associates” of the victim had harassed Martinovich’s parents since his arrest, and had assaulted him. On one occasion, his jaw was broken in two places.
Martinovich will be sentenced on April 11.
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