A jury has been told that two men accused of killing two individuals by drowning them in a toolbox believed they were carrying out a non-lethal “boot ride” punishment, which is a common practice among drug dealers.
A third man accused of the double murder would be placed at the scene by witnesses who received reduced sentences, the jury also heard.
Stou Daniels, Davy Malu Junior Taiao, and Trent Michael Thrupp face charges for the murder of Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, near Brisbane on January 24, 2016.
“It is where someone is put in the boot of a vehicle and given a scare and then let go,” Fraser said.
“This had all the hallmarks of a boot ride.”
According to Fraser, Daniels departed the location before Breton and Triscaru were placed inside a toolbox on the back of a HiLux, leading to the “truly shocking” alleged murders.
Breton and Triscaru had earlier been lured to a residential unit at Kingston, south of Brisbane, and were tortured before being forced into a large toolbox, Crane said.
Fraser told the jury they would not hear any evidence Daniels went to the creek.
Lars Falcongreen, defence barrister for Taiao, told the jury the “real battleground” for his client at trial was allegations he knew about any plans to kill.
Falcongreen denied claims Taiao would have known death was a probable consequence of the alleged victims being put in a toolbox.
“It is a bit of a stretch that somebody would go down this homicide road when there was a plan to scare the hell out of (Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru),” he said.
Crane previously told the jury Thrupp was allegedly at Scrubby Creek and either personally threw the toolbox into the water or was party to doing so.
Jessica Goldie, defence barrister for Thrupp, said it was not an issue that her client was at the Kingston unit, but claims he had the intent to kill would be contested.
“What happened at Scrubby Creek is really not clear. There is no definitive cause of death,” she said.
Goldie said witnesses who were due to testify against Thrupp had received ” significant benefits” in their sentences for giving evidence.
“Are they credible? Are they trustworthy? Are they reliable?” she told the jury.
The trial continues before Justice Glenn Martin.
