Ex-Coast man accused of murdering wife

A FORMER Gold Coast man has been accused of murdering his wife on their Caribbean honeymoon.

US prosecutors have charged Lewis Bennett of murdering his wife Isabella Hellman in May 2017 after their 37ft catamaran sank off the coast of Cuba.

Bennett, an Australian and British dual national, lived in Mt Nathan and was director of a company called Eight Developments Pty Ltd.

In court documents filed this week, police are alleging Bennett killed his wife to end “marital strife” between the couple.

The newlyweds were sailing home to the US when Bennett says he was woken by the sound of a collision. He was rescued alone after radioing for help but his 41-yearold wife has never been found.

Within 24 hours of her disappearance, Bennett asked for a “letter of presumed death” so he could settle her estate.

When he was found he had a heavy bag containing gold and silver coins. He has since pleaded guilty to smuggling the stolen coins worth about $US38,480 and is serving a seven-month jail term for the crime.

Prosecutors believe Ms Hellmann may have discovered her husband had the coins, which were stolen from his former employer on the Caribbean island of St Maarten.

This “potentially led to an intense argument resulting in Hellmann’s murder”, Prosecutor Benjamin Greenberg.

The prosecutor alleges the couple were arguing about a planned moved to Australia, financial problems and their young daughter. Bennett is due to go on trail for second degree murder in December.