Menzies ordered to trial

Maddison kill case

A WOMAN who was allegedly metres from Maddison Parrott when she was shot dead inside a glamping tent has been committed to stand trial.

Ms Parrot’s charred remains were found in a burntout tent at the Geelong Showgrounds early on December 4 last year.

Tracy Anne Menzies yesterday failed in her bid to have the charges dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

After being committed to stand trial, the 31-year-old pleaded not guilty to one charge of accessory to murder after the fact.

The accused killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and Todd Daryl Sell, who is also charged with accessory to murder after the fact, pleaded not guilty last week.

The alleged killer, Mr Sell and Ms Menzies will all face a Supreme Court directions hearing today before their matters go to trial.

Lawyer Christopher Terry, for Ms Menzies, had attempted to argue the prosecution case against his client centred on one “utterance” made minutes after Ms Parrott’s death.

Mr Terry argued evidence put forward by a key witness that she had concocted a plan to burn Ms Parrott’s body to make her death look like suicide was not enough to convict his client.

“The prosecution evidence is not capable of proving that the fire (at the tent) was deliberate or that Ms Menzies or anyone is responsible for that fire,” he said.

“The fire is irrelevant.” Mr Terry argued this alleged act was the basis for the accessory to murder charge against his client.

However, crown prosecutor Peter Pickering said this was not the case.

“It is not suggested that the only thing Ms Menzies does is say, ‘let’s get rid of it’,” Mr Pickering said.

Mr Pickering told the court prosecution alleges Ms Menzies was:

PRESENT when the gun was fired;

DISCUSSED plans to cover up the shooting;

DROVE a key witness to a train station so he could leave Geelong;

PROVIDED the alleged killer with a car;

CONTACTED co-accused Todd Sell to assist the alleged killer evade police;

DYED her hair two different colours to hide her identity; and,

TRAVELLED to NSW with the accused killer.

Mr Pickering said all of those alleged actions showed Ms Menzies assisted a key offender to evade police.

“All of (those actions) are to impede the investigation,” he said

Magistrate Ann McGarvie found there was enough evidence to commit Ms Menzies to stand trial.

“In my view the evidence is of sufficient weight for a jury to convict you,” Ms McGarvie said.

“The refused.”

Ms Menzies was remanded in custody and did not apply for bail. submission is