Dead mother ‘had it coming’

MOTHER Anthea Mari was found dead in bed with a sheet twisted around her neck, a court has heard.

Gold Coast man Jacob Michael Smith, 40, is accused of killing the 34-year-old woman at their Brisbane home on August 26, 2014.

He pleaded not guilty yesterday in the Supreme Court in Brisbane to one count each of murder, rape, attempted rape, assault occasioning bodily harm, and two charges of stealing.

Crown prosecutor Philip McCarthy told the court Ms Mari’s body was found in bedding with her jaw clenched.

He said the jury would hear evidence of Smith’s DNA being found under Ms Mari’s fingernail and doctors said she died from asphyxia with force being applied to her neck.

After allegedly killing Ms Mari, Smith is accused of stealing the mother’s phone and numerous other items from the home and fleeing.

While he was on the run Smith allegedly used the mother’s phone and Facebook account to message and call friends, telling them he was “in trouble”. When an ex-girlfriend picked him up, he told her had “done something stupid and he’d killed someone”.

The prosecution will allege Smith said Ms Mari “had it coming, deserved it” and he had “every intention of doing what he’d done”.

Police arrested Smith hiding in the backyard of a friend’s Gold Coast home.

Up to 48 witnesses are expected to give evidence in the trial, scheduled to run for around 10 days.