Coroner says lax Tasmania Police investigation compromised coronial inquest

A Tasmanian coroner has criticised the police investigation into the death of a woman whose decomposing body was found in a house in Smithton in 2017.

A Tasmanian coroner has criticised the police investigation into the death of a woman whose decomposing body was found in a house in Smithton in 2017.

A TASMANIAN coroner has criticised the police investigation into the death of a woman whose decomposing body was found in a house in Smithton in 2017.

Coroner Simon Cooper said he could not determine how 67-year-old Debbie Dubravka Killer died before she was found in her residence by police eight days after she was last seen alive in the North-West town.

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Mr Cooper said his investigation into her death had been hampered by the Tasmania Police investigation which involved neither forensics nor photographic evidence at the scene.

“While I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Ms Killer died in her home given the circumstances in which she was found, the evidence does not allow me to reach a conclusion as to the date of that death,” Mr Cooper said.

Ms Killer was last seen alive on September 26, 2017.

She was discovered dead after a concern for her welfare was raised on October 4.

Mr Cooper said it was unlikely anyone else was involved in her death but he could not rule that out due to the absence of forensic evidence.

Nor could he rule out suicide.

When police arrived at Ms Killer’s residence the front and back doors were locked but a bathroom window was ajar.

Police entered via that window.

The woman was found naked on the kitchen floor.

The stove had been moved and there were some “upset kitchen items present”.

“Despite finding Ms Killer naked, decomposed and deceased in a room with signs of disturbance, the attending police decided not to call upon the assistance of Forensic Service officers,” Mr Cooper said.

“Nor was the scene photographed, something done very easily with a mobile phone or indeed a Tasmania Police-issued tablet.

“The absence of any photographs and any forensic evidence at all compromised the coronial investigation.

“I cannot accept that at the time suicide or murder could or should have been ruled out.

“The decision not to have Forensic Services attend was a poor one. The decision not to photograph the scene was also a poor one. The rationale advanced for this decision, that is, that the death was not suspicious, is not one that I accept.”

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