‘Psychopath’ jailed for life for heinous woodchipper murder of Nambour man Bruce Saunders to appeal conviction

A “psychopath” jailed for life for the murder of her ex-partner in a horrifying woodchipper incident has made a shock court move.

A “psychopath” jailed for life for the murder of her ex-partner who was fed to a woodchipper in a plot to claim his will and $750,000 life insurance policy is appealing her conviction.

Convicted killer Sharon Graham’s bombshell court move was revealed in court documents concerning a recent application by the public trustee, who are administering the estate of slain Nambour man Bruce Saunders.

Mr Saunders, 54, died in November 2017 after being fed to a woodchipper while clearing trees at a property in Goomboorian, near Gympie.

At Graham’s murder trial, her former partner Peter Koenig gave evidence he saw Gregory Roser – who was Graham’s partner at the time – deliver the fatal blow to Mr Saunders with a metal bar.

Bruce Saunders died after being fed to a woodchipper while clearing trees at a property near Gympie in 2017. Picture: Supplied

Sharon Graham was convicted of Mr Saunders’ murder in 2023. She is serving a life sentence. Picture: Supplied

After feeling the 54-year-old “brush” past his arm he saw Mr Saunders on the ground, before Roser struck him in the head again.

“He (Roser) asked me to give him a hand to bring him down to the woodchipper,” Koenig said in his evidence.

“I had his legs, Greg had his arms.”

The pair then fed Mr Saunders into the machine, head first.

All that remained were his legs, from the top of his thighs to his feet.

Koenig, who was initially charged with Mr Saunders’ murder, pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact to murder in July 2022.

Koenig agreed to give evidence against Roser and Graham at their respective murder trials after the Crown dropped his murder charge.

All that remained of Mr Saunders were his legs, up to his thighs.

At the time, Graham had been named the sole beneficiary of Mr Saunders’ will and stood to inherit a $750,000 payout from his life insurance policy, along with his car, house and financial savings.

She is currently serving a life sentence after a jury in 2023 found her guilty of murder.

Mr Saunders’ estate is being administered by the Queensland Public Trustee, which includes a $34,441.83 surplus on the sale of his home at 24 Wentworth Crt, Nambour.

The four-bed, two-bathroom mortgaged to Perpetual Trustee Company Limited and sold in 2018 for $455,000.

“As Ms Graham would be ineligible to administer the estate and would not be entitled to the bequest if she murdered Mr Saunders, Perpetual paid the money into court,” court documents state.

The public trustee was granted an order to administer the will in 2020.

Graham orchestrated Mr Saunders’ murder as she stood to gain his $750,000 life insurance policy payout, in addition to assets like his house and car. Picture: Supplied

Court documents concerning an application by the public trustee reveal Graham is appealing her conviction. An appeal date has not been set. Picture: Supplied

Graham has made a claim on the estate, with the court documents stating she “asserts that she held an equitable interest in the property as a result of contributions she made”.

“She (Graham) has appealed against her conviction, but the appeal has not been heard,” the documents state.

The public trustee sought orders from the Supreme Court granting them entitlement to the money from the sale of Mr Saunders’ house, which was granted on May 20 by Justice Peter Davis.

Roser was jailed for life after a jury found him guilty of Mr Saunders’ murder in 2022.

In jailing Graham for life, Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns said the 63-year-old regarded Mr Saunders as an “inconvenience, but worse than that a source of money to secure your future”.

“There are no words for the likes of you,” he said.

Greg Roser (left) was found guilty of Mr Saunders’ murder in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Peter Koenig gave evidence against Graham and Roser. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“Even if there were, I do not wish to detract in any way from the statements … which have eloquently described the real horror of what you did, and the profound impact it has had, and will continue to have.

“By my observations you have displayed the hallmarks of deep-seated psychopathy.

“If at any point the authorities seriously consider your release, I ask they keep that observation firmly in mind.”

Originally published as ‘Psychopath’ jailed for life for heinous woodchipper murder of Nambour man Bruce Saunders to appeal conviction