Australian taxpayers will fund accused killer Borce Ristevski’s defence against murdering wife Karen

The husband of slain woman Karen Ristevski will have his defence funded by taxpayers after he obtained legal aid to fight murder charges. 

Borce Ristevski is accused of killing his 47-year-old wife on June 29, 2016, the morning she went missing from the couple’s Avondale Heights home. 

Ms Ristevski’s remains were discovered in bushland in the Mount Macedon Regional Park almost eight months later in February 2017. 

Ristevski appeared in Melbourne court on Wednesday via video link from prison. 

The court heard a brief of evidence against Ristevski was more than 20,000 pages long. 

Borce Ristevski (left with wife) is accused of killing 47-year-old Karen (far left and right) on June 29, 2016, the morning she went missing from the couple’s Avondale Heights home

 Karen Ristevski’s body was found wedged between these logs in Mt Macedon, near Melbourne

Evidence reportedly includes CCTV footage and audio recordings from telephone conversations, 3AW reported. 

About 100 witnesses could be called, the court heard on Wednesday. 

The murder case was adjourned to May 16, when Ristevski is expected to front court in person. 

His lawyer previously told the court that Ristevski would plead not guilty to murder. 

Ristevski has maintained his innocence since the murder charges were laid in December 2017.

Ristevski was one of the pallbearers at a private funeral service for his wife at Essendon’s St John’s Uniting Church. 

He was pictured crying as he led the prosession from the church.

Borce Ristevski (left) and his daughter Sarah leave a press conference after pleading for information during the search of Karen Ristevski in 2016