A man and a woman were likely still alive after a day of torture when they were locked in a toolbox and thrown into a lagoon, a jury has heard.
Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao, and Trent Michael Thrupp stand accused of the murder of Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, in Kingston, Logan, located south of Brisbane, 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 today.
Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane told the jury Breton and Triscaru were lured to a residential unit and attacked by a group of men.
“It was torturous. They were assaulted when they arrived and throughout the day,” Crane said.
“They had to sit there with a group of men in front of them while bound with cable ties and duct tape.”
Crane reported that the victims were coerced into a toolbox measuring two meters in length and 60 centimeters in depth, which was then transported to nearby Scrubby Creek using a utility vehicle.
“They were certainly alive when they left the unit and were likely alive in the toolbox when they entered the body of water at Scrubby Creek.”
Police divers found the bodies of Breton and 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,” 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 that Daniels, Taiao and Thrupp had previously faced trial for the murder of Breton and Triscaru.
“That this is a retrial has nothing to do with your task,” Justice Martin told the jury.
“The fact that there was a trial is entirely irrelevant. What is relevant is the evidence you hear at this trial.”
Crane said the prosecution case was Thrupp was at least present when the toolbox was dumped into the water.
“Thrupp could be the doer,” Crane said.
Daniels and Taiao were also responsible for the murders due to their actions immediately beforehand, Crane told the jury.
“The violence, their taking away of the toolbox, made them just as liable,” he 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,” Crane said.
Defence barristers for Daniels, Taiao and Thrupp are due to give their opening addresses to the jury on Tuesday.
The trial is scheduled to run for three weeks.
