‘Good people make mistakes’: Detective’s ploy to get Borce Ristevski to admit murdering wife Karen

Days after Karen Ristevski vanished, a detective asked her husband Borce: ‘Is there something you want to tell me? Good people make mistakes’.

At the time Borce Ristevski was not under arrest, had not been read his rights and was not considered a suspect, a Melbourne court has been told.

The now-accused wife killer’s lawyer David Hallowes SC on Thursday recounted the early interview his client had with the Missing Persons Squad.

Days after Karen Ristevski (left) vanished, a detective asked her husband Borce (centre) – who was not under arrest and was not considered a suspect at the time- ‘Is there something you want to tell me? Good people make mistakes’

Borce Ristevski, 54, allegedly murdered his fashion boutique owner wife Karen (pictured) in 2016 at the family's Avondale Heights home in Melbourne's north-west before dumping her body in bushland

Borce Ristevski, 54, allegedly murdered his fashion boutique owner wife Karen (pictured) in 2016 at the family’s Avondale Heights home in Melbourne’s north-west before dumping her body in bushland

Detective Sergeant Graham Hamilton delivered the ‘good people make mistakes’ line, Mr Hallowes said.

‘It’s a bit of a homicide squad technique,’ the barrister told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

‘A technique used in the interrogation of suspects.’

Detective Senior Constable Hannah Thompson was present during the interview and also testified on Thursday.

Mr Hallowes asked her: ‘Did you think Borce Ristevski was a suspect?’

‘Not to my knowledge,’ Sen Const Thompson replied. ‘He’s not being treated as a suspect at that stage.’

Borce Ristevski, 54, allegedly murdered his fashion boutique owner wife in 2016 at the family’s Avondale Heights home in Melbourne’s north-west before dumping her body in bushland.  

Ms Ristevski’s body was found between two logs by horticulturalists at Macedon Regional Park northwest of Melbourne, eight months after she vanished.

Patricia Gray (pictured), Karen Ristevski's aunt, thought her accused killer's account of his movements the day she vanished seemed 'flimsy', court documents reveal 

Patricia Gray (pictured), Karen Ristevski’s aunt, thought her accused killer’s account of his movements the day she vanished seemed ‘flimsy’, court documents reveal 

It’s alleged Ristevski killed his wife at their home and dumped her body in the quiet bushland area, taking Karen’s Mercedes-Benz roadster to do so.

Detectives allege he made inconsistent statements about his movements that day and lied to avoid detection. 

Patricia Gray, Karen’s aunt, thought Ristevski’s account of his movements the day she vanished seemed ‘flimsy’ and ‘hard to fathom’, court documents reveal.

Ms Gray stayed with Ristevski and his daughter Sarah at their home for more than a week to support them and assist in the search.

But she became frustrated by Ristevski’s dealings with police, according to her statement she gave in July 2017, a year after his wife’s disappearance.

‘I provided as much support as I could for both of them but I could tell Borce wasn’t assisting police or himself to find Karen, which I found frustrating,’ Ms Gray said in the statement, released by a court on Thursday.

Ms Gray thought Ristevski originally said he took the car to several garages for quotes that day.

But he later told Ms Gray his recollection was wrong and he had actually driven the car to get petrol but changed his mind when the faulty fuel gauge showed it wasn’t needed.

Borce Ristevski (right) allegedly murdered his fashion boutique owner wife (centre) in 2016 at the family's Avondale Heights home. Their daughter Sarah is pictured left

Borce Ristevski (right) allegedly murdered his fashion boutique owner wife (centre) in 2016 at the family’s Avondale Heights home. Their daughter Sarah is pictured left

Borce Ristevski carries the coffin out of the church as friends attend the funeral of his wife

Borce Ristevski carries the coffin out of the church as friends attend the funeral of his wife

He said he then kept driving with the aim of visiting Ms Ristevki’s dress store but missed the turn-off so decided to return home.

‘I accepted this first account about going to the garages for the quotes, and (was) relieved because I believed police could verify his movements,’ Ms Gray said in the statement.

‘But this second account appeared to be flimsy and I found it hard to fathom.’

Ristevski is facing a committal hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court to determine if there’s enough evidence to send him to trial charged with murder.

He was charged in December last year, nearly 18 months after Ms Ristevki’s disappearance, and he’s fighting the allegations.

Ms Gray (left) said she became frustrated by Ristevski's dealings with police, according to her statement she gave in July 2017, a year after his wife's disappearance

Ms Gray (left) said she became frustrated by Ristevski’s dealings with police, according to her statement she gave in July 2017, a year after his wife’s disappearance

More than a dozen witnesses have already testified, including Ms Gray, Ristevski’s daughter Sarah, a Mercedes-Benz expert and an insect specialist.  

According to Sarah’s police statement, released by the court on Wednesday, Ristevski was watching television when she arrived to the Avondale Heights home at about 6.30pm on June 29, 2017.

‘I asked dad where mum was. Dad looked at me and just put his hand up as if to say he didn’t know,’ she said in the statement, the Herald Sun reported.

When she asked her father what had happened, Ristevski responded: ‘You know what she gets like when she gets on to one thing and then on to another and continues it,’ according to her statement. 

Sarah, 23, (pictured with her father) told police in a statement Borce 'doesn't like to see me cry'

Sarah, 23, (pictured with her father) told police in a statement Borce ‘doesn’t like to see me cry’

‘Dad could see that I was getting distressed which was making him get more anxious because he doesn’t like to see me cry. Dad told me he was going to go and smoke some shisha in the garage,’ she said.

The 23-year-old said her father stayed in the garage ‘for a while’ as she remained in the house in tears. She said he later returned, hugged her and said: ‘It was going to be OK.’    

The accused has told police Karen, 47, went for a walk to clear her mind and never returned, but detectives allege he lied to avoid detection. 

It’s alleged Borce took his wife’s black Mercedes-Benz roadster to dispose of her body, killing the signal on his phone along the way.

A woman alleges she saw a black Mercedes sports car in the Mount Macedon area about the time of Karen’s disappearance.

Sarah previously said her father was a calming influence on her mother Karen Ristevski and appeared 'very worried' when she went missing

Sarah previously said her father was a calming influence on her mother Karen Ristevski and appeared ‘very worried’ when she went missing

It's alleged Borce took his wife's black Mercedes-Benz roadster (pictured) to dispose of her body, killing the signal on his phone along the way

It’s alleged Borce took his wife’s black Mercedes-Benz roadster (pictured) to dispose of her body, killing the signal on his phone along the way

Rosemary Davies was on her way to her regular cafe the Trading Post when she alleges she saw the ‘sporty’ car stopped at an intersection on Salisbury Road.

‘It had no indicator on. It almost hesitated,’ she told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Rosemary Davies (pictured) said she saw a 'sporty' car stopped at an intersection on Salisbury Road

Rosemary Davies (pictured) said she saw a ‘sporty’ car stopped at an intersection on Salisbury Road

‘I’m thinking to myself, I wonder if they know where they’re going. Nothing comes along there.’

Ms Davies, who said she’s known for her ‘very good memory’, called Crime Stoppers in mid-2017 after reading a story about the case in the local paper.

She was giving evidence at a committal hearing for Borce Ristevski, to determine whether there’s enough evidence to send him to trial for Karen’s murder.

One of Karen’s former fashion store employees also testified on Wednesday, saying her manager spoke positively about her husband.

Bella Bleu employee Diana Nastoska, a young student, said Karen was a kind manager and the Ristevskis were an ‘ordinary family’.

When asked by Borce’s lawyer Sam Norton if Karen spoke about her husband as caring and supportive, Ms Natovska nodded and said: ‘yes’.

The Ristevskis were in dire financial straits at the time of the murder and would sometimes argue about money and business, the court has been told

The Ristevskis were in dire financial straits at the time of the murder and would sometimes argue about money and business, the court has been told

Bella Bleu employee Diana Nastoska (pictured) said Karen was a kind manager and the Ristevskis were an 'ordinary family'

Bella Bleu employee Diana Nastoska (pictured) said Karen was a kind manager and the Ristevskis were an ‘ordinary family’

‘And she even commented that she was lucky to have him?’ Mr Norton continued.

‘Yes,’ Ms Natovska replied.

The young woman was working at Bella Bleu the day Karen went missing.

So when the always-punctual Karen didn’t arrive to take over the store that afternoon she spoke to Borce about it.

‘And he seemed surprised when you told him she wasn’t there?’ Mr Norton asked.

‘Yes. He assumed she was already there. He wasn’t sure what was going on,’ Ms Natovska replied.  

Meanwhile, Sarah broke down in tears in court on Tuesday as she recalled the happy life she had before her mother went missing.

‘I didn’t grow up in a household where there were a lot of arguments,’ Sarah told Melbourne Magistrates Court.

‘Mum would get annoyed. She had the same personality as me. And dad was always the calm one. He would calm us down.’

Sarah Ristevski (pictured right) is seen leaving court on Tuesday after giving evidence

Sarah Ristevski (pictured right) is seen leaving court on Tuesday after giving evidence

When asked about the nature of her parents’ arguments, Sarah used an example of her dad being unable to resist a bargain at the supermarket.

He would go out and buy milk and return with biscuits as well.

‘Dad would say ‘well the Shapes are only a dollar each’ and mum would say ‘but now I’m going to eat them and my thighs will get fat’,’ Sarah said.

‘That would be an argument for me.’

As Sarah sat in the witness box her father Borce sat in the dock wearing a charcoal suit over a white shirt. He appeared focused.

She said her father was distressed after Karen’s disappearance.

‘He was extremely worried,’ she said of Borce. He was very concerned about where my mum was.’ 

Sarah Ristevski celebrated her 21st birthday about a month before her mum vanished from the family's Avondale Heights home in June 2016 

Sarah Ristevski celebrated her 21st birthday about a month before her mum vanished from the family’s Avondale Heights home in June 2016 

Borce, who was charged in December, is fighting the murder allegations.

Police claim he lied about his movements on the day of his wife’s disappearance.

Borce originally told police he stayed at home doing bookkeeping on the day his wife vanished, but later changed his statement, saying he went for a drive in her car.

‘The accused deliberately excluded and withheld information and fabricated certain facts to distance himself from the crime,’ Mr Fisher has told the court.  

Detectives later used CCTV footage, telecommunications data and fuel consumption analysis to form their view that Borce killed his wife, dumped her body and returned home.

Karen’s cause of death could not be established by an autopsy.

Karen was missing for eight months before her remains were found at Macedon Regional Park by two horticulturists in February 2017

Karen was missing for eight months before her remains were found at Macedon Regional Park by two horticulturists in February 2017

Borce Ristevski (centre left), husband of Karen Ristevski, attending the funeral of his wife Karen

Borce Ristevski (centre left), husband of Karen Ristevski, attending the funeral of his wife Karen

The Ristevskis were in dire financial straits at the time of the murder and would sometimes argue about money and business, the court has been told.

Their fashion store Bella Bleu had lost more than $320,000 over a four-year period and they had mounting credit card debt of more than $82,000. 

Borce Ristevski’s son Anthony Rickard will not testify during the hearing.

Rickard, 34, was due to give evidence this week at a committal hearing to determine whether his father stands trial.

But he was excused from giving evidence after talks with lawyers.

Anthony Rickard, 34, was due to speak this week at a committal hearing to determine whether his father stands trial for murder

Anthony Rickard, 34, was due to give evidence this week at a committal hearing to determine whether his father stands trial for murder

‘Anthony Rickard will not be giving evidence,’ prosecutor Matt Fisher told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Rickard allegedly dodged police for months because he didn’t want to testify at the hearing, but he was arrested during a weekend midnight raid on outstanding warrants.

Police forced their way into a Diggers Rest home to make the arrest and allegedly found drug paraphernalia in Rickard’s room.

Although he won’t give evidence in person, his police statement will still be given to the magistrate for consideration. 

The committal hearing continues. 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk