A look back at the trial of Margaret Otto and Bradley Purkiss, who were found guilty of Dwayne Davies’ murder

At the end of a five-week trial, two people were found guilty of Dwayne Davies’ murder. Here is a look back at the trial and how it unfolded.

Margaret Otto’s legal team of Jane Bloomfield, Caroline Graves and Greg Melick, SC, at the Supreme Court in Hobart.

MARGARET Anne Otto was excited about her grandson’s first birthday party. She spent hours making his birthday cake and rushed home from work on Friday, May 26, 2017 ,to finish it for the party the following day.

But a jury has found she was also involved in planning something very different that Friday — the murder of her husband, Dwayne “Doc” Davies, 47.

While Otto was putting the finishing touches on the birthday cake, Mr Davies, having accepted an invitation to visit his friend Bradley Scott Purkiss, 43, drove to Purkiss’ Elderslie home.

Purkiss shot Mr Davies in the head and back, then went on an impromptu shooting trip with his father at Tynwald Park at New Norfolk — so that, according to the Crown, he could cycle through the gun he used to kill Mr Davies — and buried Mr Davies’ body in a shallow grave at a Levendale property, where he went on a shooting trip with his father and brother on May 27.

Detective Brad Conyers speaks to the media in May 2017 at Bradley Scott Purkiss’ Elderslie home which was declared a crime scene in the aftermath of Dwayne Davies’ disappearance. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

A Supreme Court jury in Hobart today announced it unanimously found Purkiss and Otto guilty of Mr Davies’ murder.

During the five-week trial, Purkiss appeared cool. He took notes, passed them to his lawyers and paid close attention to all of the evidence. His lawyers argued Purkiss knew nothing of the killing and that he had been framed for murder.

Otto appeared distressed throughout most of the trial and seemed to have pinned her hopes on her lawyers’ — ultimately unsuccessful — push to have the murder charge replaced with one of being an accessory after the fact to murder.

Her barrister Greg Melick, SC, said Otto previously had an affair with Purkiss. Mr Melick said she complained to Purkiss on May 26 about problems in her marriage but had never contemplated murder.

Counsel for Margaret Otto Greg Melick, SC, and Caroline Graves leave the Supreme Court in Hobart after the jury verdict.

Colleagues described Otto as a lovely and friendly person. Her son Brady Davies said: “She always had time for you, loving, caring, she’s always been like that.”

Otto trembled in the dock, and at times shed tears and had her head down. While video recorded police interviews were played to the jury, she appeared to be squeezing a stress ball.

It was very different from the confident woman the jury saw on security camera footage from May 26 when she greeted Purkiss at her workplace.

The jury also saw footage of Mr Davies from a home security camera system.

As it was played, one of Mr Davies’ relatives said to Mr Davies’ father Glen: “He walks like you.”

A tattoo by Dwayne Davies.

The trial began on September 3. Potential jurors were warned the trial could take as long as seven weeks and it took more than an hour before 12 jurors and two reserve jurors who were able to commit to the long trial, and who were not objected to by counsel, to be sworn in.

This was Purkiss and Otto’s second trial; the first was declared a mistrial after a week in March.

When two jurors were unable to continue after just a couple of days of the second trial, those involved were starting to worry.

The remaining 12 jurors, however, stuck with the case.

The Crown tendered more than 100 exhibits as it sought to prove its circumstantial case against Purkiss and Otto.

Some light relief came when Mr Purkiss’ father, Anthony Purkiss gave evidence. Mr Purkiss senior, a licensed gun owner, told the jury about seeing his son twice on Friday May 26, and about a shooting trip he went on with both his sons on May 27 at Levendale.

When Mr Purkiss’ barrister Alan Hensley cross examined Anthony Purkiss, he began with: “We’ve heard your Mr Purkiss’ father?”

Anthony Purkiss’ response of “I hope so” was received with laughter from jurors and others in the courtroom. He got another laugh when asked by prosecutor Madeleine Wilson about the car Bradley Purkiss was driving.

“What can you tell me about the grey car?” Ms Wilson asked.

“It’s grey, that’s all,” Mr Purkiss senior replied.

Today, Ms Wilson said without Mr Purkiss senior contacting police to tell them about the Levendale shooting trip, Mr Davies’ body may never have been found.

From left, Dwayne Davies’ niece Danielle Lush, sister Kelly Goss, father Glen Davies and stepmother Karen Davies leave the Supreme Court in Hobart.

Mr Davies was not reported missing to police until late on May 27.

That afternoon his family had gathered to celebrate his grandson’s first birthday and share the cake Otto had made. The court heard Otto did not want to spoil the party with worry about Mr Davies, but relatives noticed he was not there.

His niece, Danielle Lush, who said she was close to her aunt and uncle, told the jury she asked Otto where Mr Davies was.

“She just gave me a funny look and didn’t answer me … I don’t think she knew what to say to me,” Ms Lush said.