Latest news with #StouDaniels
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
How two friends were allegedly tortured, then locked in a toolbox and submerged alive - as prosecution speaks out on motive
Three men accused of murder allegedly played music to conceal the noise of two people banging from inside a toolbox before it was submerged in water, a jury has heard. Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao and Trent Michael Thrupp are charged with murdering Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, on January 24, 2016. All three men pleaded not guilty to two murder charges at the start of their trial in the Queensland Supreme Court on Monday. Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane told the jury Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru were lured to a residential unit at Kingston, south of Brisbane, and tortured over the course of a day before being forced into a large toolbox. 'The transition of the toolbox to a HiLux utility vehicle attracted attention from those present at the unit complex. There was noise emanating from the toolbox,' Mr Crane said. 'There was music used from the HiLux to cover up the sound. 'Various residents can tell you what they heard from the back of the utility in the car park.' Evidence that Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru were still alive when they left the unit would come from the testimony of multiple witnesses about hearing banging noises from the toolbox, Mr Crane said. 'They were still trying to get out,' he said. Mr Crane told the jury Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru were assaulted, interrogated and threatened with harm from knives and guns over a dispute involving drug dealing before they died. 'It was torturous. They were assaulted when they arrived and throughout the day ... while bound with cable ties and duct tape,' Mr Crane said. Mr Crane said the pair was forced into a toolbox two metres long and 60 centimetres deep that was driven to nearby Scrubby Creek on the back of the HiLux. 'They were likely alive in the toolbox when they entered the body of water at Scrubby Creek.' Police divers found the bodies of Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru in the box at the bottom of the lagoon two weeks later. 'It was obvious there were attempts to weigh the toolbox down. There were pieces of concrete and old tyres in the same vicinity,' Mr Crane said. The bodies were so decomposed doctors could only conclude the pair died either from asphyxiation before being put into the water, or from drowning. The jury was shown images of the black toolbox being lifted from the lagoon strewn with weeds and water lilies. Justice Glenn Martin told the jury Daniels, Taiao and Thrupp had previously faced trial for the murder of Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru. 'That this is a retrial has nothing to do with your task,' Justice Martin told the jury. Mr Crane said the prosecution case was Thrupp was at least present when the toolbox was dumped into the water. Daniels and Taiao were also responsible for the murders because of their actions immediately beforehand, he told the jury. 'The violence, their taking away of the toolbox, made them just as liable,' Mr Crane said. The jury heard Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru were good friends and were involved in drug dealing. 'Drugs are at the heart of this. The motivation for it ... the catalyst for the killings,' Mr Crane said. He told the jury the Kingston unit was thoroughly cleaned with all furniture removed after Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru disappeared. The jury was shown text messages allegedly between Thrupp and Daniels discussing the extensive police search around Kingston and the potential need for legal advice. Defence barristers for Daniels, Taiao and Thrupp are due to give their opening addresses to the jury on Tuesday. The trial is scheduled to go for three weeks.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Three men on trial for double toolbox murder south of Brisbane
Two men accused of drowning two people in a toolbox had no intention to kill and thought they were taking part in a 'boot ride', a court has heard. Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao and Trent Michael Thrupp are charged with murdering Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru south of Brisbane in January 2016. Their bodies were found inside a large toolbox dumped in Scrubby Creek after last being seen at a Kingston unit on January 4. Mr Daniels, Mr Taiao and Mr Thrupp have all pleaded not guilty to murder in a trial before the Queensland Supreme Court. Prosecutor Nathan Crane has said friends Breton, 28, and Triscaru, 31, were allegedly lured to the Kingston unit and tortured before being forced into the toolbox. The Crown alleges they were still alive when the box was thrown into the creek, AAP reports. On Tuesday, Mr Daniels' barrister John Fraser told the jury his client believed he was taking part in a 'boot ride' – a common event in the world of drug users and dealers. 'It is where someone is put in the boot of a vehicle and given a scare and then let go,' he said. 'This had all the hallmarks of a boot ride.' His client left the scene before the victims were taken away in a Toyota HiLux, Mr Fraser said. Lars Falcongreen, representing Mr Taiao, said the 'battleground' would be whether his client had any knowledge of a plan to kill when they were put into the toolbox. Mr Falcongreen said there was a 'plan to scare the hell out of' Breton and Triscaru. The jury has been told Mr Thrupp was present when the toolbox was dumped into the water. His barrister Jessica Goldie told the jury 'what happened at Scrubby Creek is really not clear'. 'There is no definitive cause of death,' she said. Ms Goldie said witnesses due to give evidence against her client had received 'significant benefits' for their co-operation, and urged the jury to ask 'are they reliable?'. The trial continues.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Toolbox murder accused planned only 'boot ride scare', court hears
Two men accused of murder by drowning two people in a toolbox thought they were part of a non-fatal 'boot ride' punishment common among drug dealers, a jury has heard. A third man accused of the double murder would be placed at the scene by witnesses who received reduced sentences, the jury also heard. Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao and Trent Michael Thrupp are charged with murdering Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, south of Brisbane on January 24, 2016. Police divers found the bodies of Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru in the box at the bottom of a lagoon two weeks later. All three men pleaded not guilty to two murder charges at the start of their trial in the Queensland Supreme Court. John Fraser, defence barrister for Daniels, told the jury during his opening address on Tuesday that his client thought he was taking part in a 'boot ride', a common event in the world of drug users and dealers. 'It is where someone is put in the boot of a vehicle and given a scare and then let go,' Mr Fraser said. 'This had all the hallmarks of a boot ride.' Mr Fraser said Daniels left the scene before Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru were taken in a toolbox on the back of a HiLux and subject to a 'truly shocking' alleged murder. Prosecutor Nathan Crane previously told the jury the alleged victims, who were 'good friends' were likely thrown into a nearby Scrubby Creek while still alive and trapped in the toolbox. Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru had earlier been lured to a residential unit at Kingston, south of Brisbane, and were tortured before being forced into a large toolbox, Mr Crane said. Mr Fraser told the jury they would not hear any evidence Daniels went to the creek. Lars Falcongreen, defence barrister for Taiao, told the jury the 'real battleground' for his client at trial was allegations he knew about any plans to kill. Mr Falcongreen denied claims Taiao would have known death was a probable consequence of the alleged victims being put in a toolbox. 'It is a bit of a stretch that somebody would go down this homicide road when there was a plan to scare the hell out of (Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru),' he said. Mr Crane previously told the jury Thrupp was allegedly at Scrubby Creek and either personally threw the toolbox into the water or was party to doing so. Jessica Goldie, defence barrister for Thrupp, said it was not an issue that her client was at the Kingston unit, but claims he had the intent to kill would be contested. 'What happened at Scrubby Creek is really not clear. There is no definitive cause of death,' she said. Ms Goldie said witnesses who were due to testify against Thrupp had received ' significant benefits' in their sentences for giving evidence. 'Are they credible? Are they trustworthy? Are they reliable?' she told the jury.
