Latest news with #Loosemore
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Woman, accused argued before fatal fire, say neighbours
Neighbours of a woman allegedly murdered by her British house guest recall him telling them of an argument between the pair on the night of her death. Timothy Loosemore is facing trial after pleading not guilty to the murder of Maree Vermont at her rural home at Goldie in Victoria's Macedon Ranges on August 5, 2023. Neighbour Kyman Share, who lived about 500 metres from Ms Vermont, on Thursday recalled talking to a British man covered in soot while the home was on fire. "They had a small argument. He went outside to get firewood and when he came back, the place was on fire," Mr Share told the jury, recounting his conversation with Loosemore. Earlier that night, Mr Share had just finished watching television with his partner about 10pm when they heard a loud popping and crackling sound. "It was extremely loud like an explosion," he told the jury. From his verandah he saw an orange glow in the vicinity of Ms Vermont's home and raced there to see what was happening, the jury was told. Mr Share said he had to turn back to call emergency authorities because of poor phone reception in the area. He said he then raced back to Ms Vermont's home, running into another neighbour Peter Greenham, who had been alerted to the fire by Loosemore. Mr Greenham said he and his wife had been jolted awake by a frantic Loosemore banging on their door asking them to call police and the fire brigade because the house was on fire. Mr Greenham noticed Loosemore was quite blackened by soot and had scratches or marks on his face and blood on his arms or hands. The pair drove to the burning house and Mr Greenham asked the accused what had happened to Ms Vermont. "He said 'we had an argument, it wasn't a big argument, but we had one'," Mr Greenham said. They met Mr Share at the home, which was engulfed in flames. Both men ran around the home several times yelling Ms Vermont's name but were unable to get close because of the ferocity of the fire. Mr Greenham recalled seeing a "very subdued" Loosemore, while Mr Share sat with the British house guest who was "in shock" and repeatedly murmuring he couldn't understand what had happened. The men carried Loosemore to paramedics, noticing dry blood on his cheek and underneath his arms. Ms Vermont's body was found inside her burnt-out home and Loosemore, a British traveller planning to bike around Australia, is accused of killing her and setting fire to the house, or assaulting her and trying to conceal the assault by setting the house alight. Loosemore had been staying at the home for free in exchange for doing work around the property.
9 News
4 days ago
- 9 News
Woman and her AirBnB guest argued before fatal fire, neighbours claim
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Neighbours of a woman allegedly murdered by her British house guest recall him telling them of an argument between the pair on the night of her death. Timothy Loosemore is facing trial after pleading not guilty to the murder of Maree Vermont and arson of her rural home at Goldie in Victoria's Macedon Ranges on August 5, 2023. Neighbour Kyman Share, who lived about 500 metres from Vermont, today recalled talking to a British man covered in soot while the home was on fire. Timothy Loosemore, who had been staying as an Airbnb guest after arriving from the UK in 2022, has pleaded not guilty to her murder and arson. (Nine) "They had a small argument. He went outside to get firewood and when he came back, the place was on fire," Share told the jury, recounting his conversation with Loosemore. Earlier that night, Share had just finished watching television with his partner about 10pm when they heard a loud popping and crackling sound. "It was extremely loud like an explosion," he told the jury. From his verandah he saw an orange glow in the vicinity of Vermont's home and raced there to see what was happening, the jury was told. Share said he had to turn back to call emergency authorities because of poor phone reception in the area. Maree Vermont was found dead in her burnt-out home in the rural Victorian town of Goldie in the Macedon Ranges on August 5, 2023. (Nine) He said he then raced back to Vermont's home, running into another neighbour Peter Greenham, who had been alerted to the fire by Loosemore. Greenham said he and his wife had been jolted awake by a frantic Loosemore banging on their door asking them to call police and the fire brigade because the house was on fire. Greenham noticed Loosemore was quite blackened by soot and had scratches or marks on his face and blood on his arms or hands. The pair drove to the burning house and Greenham asked the accused what had happened to Vermont. "He said 'we had an argument, it wasn't a big argument, but we had one'," Greenham said. The met Share at the home, which was engulfed in flames. Vermont was found with such severe burns that her legs and arms were reduced to fragments. (Nine) Both men ran around the home several times yelling Vermont's name but were unable to get close because of the ferocity of the fire. Greenham recalled seeing a "very subdued" Loosemore, while Share sat with the British house guest who was "in shock" and repeatedly murmuring he couldn't understand what had happened. The men carried Loosemore to paramedics, noticing dry blood on his cheek and underneath his arms. Vermont's body was found inside her burnt-out home and Loosemore, a British traveller planning to bike around Australia, is accused of killing her and setting fire to the house, or assaulting her and trying to conceal the assault by setting the house alight. Loosemore had been staying at the home for free in exchange for doing work around the property. Melbourne national crime Trial murder fires Victoria Australia CONTACT US
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Woman, accused argued before fatal fire, say neighbours
Neighbours of a woman allegedly murdered by her British house guest recall him telling them of an argument between the pair on the night of her death. Timothy Loosemore is facing trial after pleading not guilty to the murder of Maree Vermont and arson of her rural home at Goldie in Victoria's Macedon Ranges on August 5, 2023. Neighbour Kyman Share, who lived about 500 metres from Ms Vermont, on Thursday recalled talking to a British man covered in soot while the home was on fire. "They had a small argument. He went outside to get firewood and when he came back, the place was on fire," Mr Share told the jury, recounting his conversation with Loosemore. Earlier that night, Mr Share had just finished watching television with his partner about 10pm when they heard a loud popping and crackling sound. "It was extremely loud like an explosion," he told the jury. From his verandah he saw an orange glow in the vicinity of Ms Vermont's home and raced there to see what was happening, the jury was told. Mr Share said he had to turn back to call emergency authorities because of poor phone reception in the area. He said he then raced back to Ms Vermont's home, running into another neighbour Peter Greenham, who had been alerted to the fire by Loosemore. Mr Greenham said he and his wife had been jolted awake by a frantic Loosemore banging on their door asking them to call police and the fire brigade because the house was on fire. Mr Greenham noticed Loosemore was quite blackened by soot and had scratches or marks on his face and blood on his arms or hands. The pair drove to the burning house and Mr Greenham asked the accused what had happened to Ms Vermont. "He said 'we had an argument, it wasn't a big argument, but we had one'," Mr Greenham said. The met Mr Share at the home, which was engulfed in flames. Both men ran around the home several times yelling Ms Vermont's name but were unable to get close because of the ferocity of the fire. Mr Greenham recalled seeing a "very subdued" Loosemore, while Mr Share sat with the British house guest who was "in shock" and repeatedly murmuring he couldn't understand what had happened. The men carried Loosemore to paramedics, noticing dry blood on his cheek and underneath his arms. Ms Vermont's body was found inside her burnt-out home and Loosemore, a British traveller planning to bike around Australia, is accused of killing her and setting fire to the house, or assaulting her and trying to conceal the assault by setting the house alight. Loosemore had been staying at the home for free in exchange for doing work around the property.
West Australian
5 days ago
- West Australian
Woman spoke about 'clingy' mate before alleged murder
A woman confided in family and friends how her British house guest had become "clingy" and she didn't want to pursue a relationship with him weeks before he allegedly murdered her and set her home alight. Maree Vermont was found dead in her burnt-out home in the rural Victorian town of Goldie in the Macedon Ranges on August 5, 2023. Timothy Loosemore, who had been staying as an Airbnb guest after arriving from the UK in 2022, has pleaded not guilty to her murder and arson. Ms Vermont's mother Shirley Adams told a Supreme Court jury trial on Wednesday how her daughter had allowed Loosemore to stay and do odd jobs around the property in exchange for free accommodation and meals. They struck up a friendship and became intimate on one instance. "She was alone there ... (and) she was trying to keep the property going on her own," Ms Adams said. "She didnt want a relationship with Tim." Ms Vermont's marriage to her husband Robert had broken down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and he moved out of the Goldie home while she continued to live there. She wanted to buy her ex-husband's half but couldn't afford the amount he was asking for, so she put up the Airbnb advertisement. Ms Adams described the British traveller as nice, considerate and caring towards her daughter, but that Ms Vermont didn't want him to stay forever. "She said to me she was finding him a little bit clingy," Ms Adams said. "She was going to tell him he had to move on and leave." Before her death, Ms Adams said her daughter had been looking forward to a holiday in Vietnam. Ms Vermont's younger brother Paul Adams said she told him she didn't have "any affection" for Loosemore. "She was clear she wanted her own life and wanted to get on with her life," Mr Adams told the court. Jacqueline Burns, who knew Ms Vermont for more than 15 years and was her former sister-in-law, first saw Loosemore at Ms Vermont's property in March 2023. Loosemore had stayed at the home for about six weeks before travelling to Cairns for two weeks and returning. The pair had sex once before he went to Cairns, but Ms Vermont told her friend it was "unsuccessful" and that she "didn't like it". "She didn't have any feelings towards him. It was just sex," Ms Burns told the court. After his return from Queensland, Ms Vermont confided in her friend about how the traveller was "always there" and that she "doesn't get a break". Ms Burns said Ms Vermont had told Loosemore he was to leave by August but that he was always polite and never nasty. Prosecutors allege Loosemore killed Ms Vermont and then set fire to the house, or assaulted her and tried to conceal the assault by setting the house alight. She was found with such severe burns that her legs and arms were reduced to fragments.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Woman spoke about 'clingy' mate before alleged murder
A woman confided in family and friends how her British house guest had become "clingy" and she didn't want to pursue a relationship with him weeks before he allegedly murdered her and set her home alight. Maree Vermont was found dead in her burnt-out home in the rural Victorian town of Goldie in the Macedon Ranges on August 5, 2023. Timothy Loosemore, who had been staying as an Airbnb guest after arriving from the UK in 2022, has pleaded not guilty to her murder and arson. Ms Vermont's mother Shirley Adams told a Supreme Court jury trial on Wednesday how her daughter had allowed Loosemore to stay and do odd jobs around the property in exchange for free accommodation and meals. They struck up a friendship and became intimate on one instance. "She was alone there ... (and) she was trying to keep the property going on her own," Ms Adams said. "She didnt want a relationship with Tim." Ms Vermont's marriage to her husband Robert had broken down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and he moved out of the Goldie home while she continued to live there. She wanted to buy her ex-husband's half but couldn't afford the amount he was asking for, so she put up the Airbnb advertisement. Ms Adams described the British traveller as nice, considerate and caring towards her daughter, but that Ms Vermont didn't want him to stay forever. "She said to me she was finding him a little bit clingy," Ms Adams said. "She was going to tell him he had to move on and leave." Before her death, Ms Adams said her daughter had been looking forward to a holiday in Vietnam. Ms Vermont's younger brother Paul Adams said she told him she didn't have "any affection" for Loosemore. "She was clear she wanted her own life and wanted to get on with her life," Mr Adams told the court. Jacqueline Burns, who knew Ms Vermont for more than 15 years and was her former sister-in-law, first saw Loosemore at Ms Vermont's property in March 2023. Loosemore had stayed at the home for about six weeks before travelling to Cairns for two weeks and returning. The pair had sex once before he went to Cairns, but Ms Vermont told her friend it was "unsuccessful" and that she "didn't like it". "She didn't have any feelings towards him. It was just sex," Ms Burns told the court. After his return from Queensland, Ms Vermont confided in her friend about how the traveller was "always there" and that she "doesn't get a break". Ms Burns said Ms Vermont had told Loosemore he was to leave by August but that he was always polite and never nasty. Prosecutors allege Loosemore killed Ms Vermont and then set fire to the house, or assaulted her and tried to conceal the assault by setting the house alight. She was found with such severe burns that her legs and arms were reduced to fragments.
