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Double murder trial
06Feb07
THE son of a murdered South Maroota couple said he found his mother's dead body in a bedroom before rushing outside to call the police, the Supreme Court has heard.
David Hughes, 30, was the first witness called in the trial of Peter James Johnson, who has pleaded not guilty to killing Ian and Anna Hughes in their home in September 2005.
David Hughes said that after several days of trying to call his parents without success, he drove to their Wisemans Ferry Rd property and entered the house.
He told the jury last week that after turning on lights in the kitchen and dining room, he turned on the lights in what he called ``bedroom one'' and saw his mother's dead body.
David Hughes said he immediately walked out of the room and into the kitchen where he tried to ring the police, but couldn't.
``I suspect that I panicked,'' Mr Hughes said when asked by Crown prosecutor, Christopher Maxwell, QC, why he couldn't call 000.
Mr Hughes then said that he went outside where he successfully called 000 to summon the police.
Johnson, 53, formerly of Bligh Park, is accused of strangling both Ian, 60, and Anna Hughes, 58.
As well as two counts of murder he is also charged with one count of larceny and 15 counts of obtaining money by deception.
When making his opening remarks, Mr Maxwell said about $12,400 was taken from the Hughes's bank accounts at various ATMs.
He also told the jury that they would hear from a DNA expert who had matched DNA taken from the murder scene with
that of Johnson's DNA profile.
The trial, before Justice Anthony Whealy, is expected to take six weeks.
