Police body-cam and interview footage shows Cody Edwards’ ’drug affected’ state after alleged murder of mother Synamin Bell

Police body-cam footage reveals a paranoid alleged murderer’s “drug psychosis” provoked him to savagely beat his partner to death, a court has heard.

Police footage from the night a Millicent man allegedly murdered his partner while on a “very uncommon drug” showcases his paranoid state, a court has heard.

Cody James Edwards, 27, is standing trial in the Mount Gambier Supreme Court charged with the murder of Synamin Bell, 26, who was found “brutally beaten” to death on the floor of her Millicent home on the evening of March 12, 2022.

The court has previously heard evidence a baseball bat and dumbbell bar were used, and Ms Bell was stabbed five times after her death.

His lawyer has argued he believed he was acting in self-defence during a “drug-induced psychosis”.

Millicent mother-of-three Synamin Bell - picture provided by family

Cody James Edwards. Picture: Facebook

An investigative officer who interviewed Mr Edwards the morning after Ms Bell’s death told the court Mr Edwards was clearly drug affected as officers tried to interview him.

The court was shown interview video footage and that of Mr Edwards inside Mount Gambier Police Station just prior, in which he repeatedly laid his head on the table.

One officer said the accused was “slurring” his words and “clearly not understanding what (was) going on”.

Body-cam footage from the night before captured the moment Mr Edwards was arrested and also shown in court.

In this footage, the court heard Mr Edwards tell the arresting officers “LSD sir, f***ing LDS,” as they asked him what happened.

Mr Edwards remained motionless in the dock as footage showed his arrest, the discovery of Ms Bell’s body and the police interviews.

He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner with his defence lawyer Steven Millsteed KC saying his client was acting in self-defence because a “drug-induced psychosis” had caused him to believe Ms Bell intended to kill him that night.

Neighbours of Ms Bell told the court Mr Edwards turned up on their doorstep after the death.

They said he “was jumpy, rambling incoherently” and repeatedly saying Ms Bell was an axe murderer.

Mr Millsteed said on the night of Ms Bell’s death his client experienced a “full-blown paranoia psychosis” after consuming psychoactive drugs he believed to be LSD.

A toxicology report showed Mr Edwards had ingested DOI - an “uncommon drug” known to be sold as LSD, the court heard.

The investigative officer told the court DOI is a “very uncommon drug, apparently not encountered by forensic science before this case”.

The judge-alone trial before Justice Adam Kimber will continue next week.

Originally published as Police body-cam and interview footage shows Cody Edwards’ ’drug affected’ state after alleged murder of mother Synamin Bell