A forensic pathologist has told the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Supreme Court that it is impossible to determine the exact cause of death after the 1999 unsolved murder of Irma Parasix.
Professor Johan Dufour provides evidence in the following paper: Murder trial of Melbourne men Steve Fabrizi and Joseph Vecony.
The two were allegedly robbed of $30,000 in 1999 after Parasixus and her husband Gregor were attacked, bound and gagged, and then murdered.
The pathologist who performed the initial autopsy has since died.
Professor Dufour told the court he based his report on crime scene photographs, autopsy photographs and material provided to the coroner by the original doctor.
Parasix suffered multiple blunt force injuries, including a broken nose, he said.
“Many of the injuries were due to interpersonal violence.”
Professor Dufour said:
He said Parasix’s airways were filled with blood, but given the circumstances of his injuries, he could not determine the exact cause of death.
He said one of the questions was whether Mrs Parasix had a “defensive reflex” that caused her to lose consciousness and cough up blood.
wrong body position
Steve Fabrizi is charged in the death of Irma Parasix. (Supplied)
Professor Dufour also admitted that he based his initial report on the mistaken belief that Mrs Parasix had been placed on her back, as shown in the crime scene photographs.
He told the court he was informed two days ago that she had originally been found face down.
Mr Becony’s lawyer, Travis Jackson, questioned Professor Dufour about what change that made to the situation.
Professor Dufour said it did not matter whether the body was in one position, another position or moved.
“The airways are still filling with blood and there is no uncertainty,” Professor Dufour said.
Professor Dufour was also critical of the original autopsy.
“If it was something I would have supervised, I would have liked it to be more detailed,” Professor Dufour said.
He provided a list of standard measures at the time, including measuring each injury, viewing the injury under a microscope, and examining the brain.
However, he told the court additional tests may not have helped.
“We don’t know if we crossed the line,” Professor Dufour said.
Suspicion of contamination
Gregor Parasixus managed to free himself from his restraints after the home invasion and tried to resuscitate him as he lay on the floor. (Provided by: ACT Policing)
The defense team’s main target was forensic work.
Police officer in charge that night, Sifton Frost, told the court it took eight days to process the crime scene.
He said Parasix’s blood was concentrated in the lounge room and that Parasix’s blood was found in the hallway.
Frost said splattered blood shows that most of Parasix’s injuries were sustained in the space in front of the bathroom door, and that her dentures were found on the floor nearby.
Skye Jerome, Mr. Fabrizi’s attorney, grilled Mr. Frost about possible contamination at the scene.
This included the use of so-called “gray squares”, which each forensic officer uses when taking photographs at the scene.
The gray squares are used as a contrast to enhance the colors when developing the films used at the time.
Squares were used for outdoor paving, indoor carpeting, and other items.
Mr. Frost acknowledged that it was unlikely that any cleaning took place between takes.
Jerome asked him if that was best practice.
Frost acknowledged that’s not best practice.
“Is it because it has the potential to transfer biological material or transfer DNA?”
Jerome said.
Frost agreed that DNA transplantation is a possibility.
Mr Bekony’s DNA was said to have been found in a water jug in the refrigerator, and Mr Fabriczy’s DNA was found on a milk carton.
Mr Frost is expected to continue his evidence tomorrow.