Woman who claimed her husband committed suicide because he was depressed about his sexuality is convicted of his MURDER after crucial Google searches came to light during the trial
- Natasha Beth Darcy has been found guilty of murdering partner Matthew Dunbar
- Mr Dunbar was found dead in his bed on his property in NSW in August, 2017
- Darcy, 46, had searched on Google on her phone ‘how to commit murder’
- Darcy told first responders and investigators Mr Dunbar had taken his own life
A NSW woman who denied sedating and gassing her sheep farmer partner has been found guilty of murder.
Natasha Beth Darcy pleaded not guilty to murdering Mathew Dunbar, who was found dead in his bed on his Pandora property in the Northern Tablelands town of Walcha on August 2, 2017.
The 46-year-old’s NSW Supreme Court trial began on March 31, with the Crown alleging she murdered the grazier to inherit his $3.5 million property, knowing she was the sole beneficiary.
She contended the 42-year-old killed himself, but the Crown rejected her guilty plea to aiding or abetting suicide.
Natasha Beth Darcy, 46, has been found guilty of murdering Mathew Dunbar after the 42-year-old sheep farmer was found dead in his home near Walcha, northern New South Wales, on August 2, 2017
Justice Julia Lonergan directed the jurors to entirely put out of their minds the issue of assisted suicide, reminding them of the absence of any evidence about such a scenario.
After more than two days of deliberations, the jury returned a guilty verdict on Tuesday.
She will face a sentence hearing in October.
Prosecutor Brett Hatfield alleged Darcy planned the murder for some time, citing hundreds of Google searches on death methods starting with poisonous spiders and fungi which started back in February, 2017.
He said she sedated her partner using a Nutribullet to blend a cocktail of sedatives, before moving a gas tank into his room and gassing him in his bed.
Prosecutor Brett Hatfield alleged Darcy planned the murder for some time, citing hundreds of Google searches on death methods starting with poisonous spiders and fungi
The jury was told of a letter Darcy sent to a friend after Mr Dunbar’s death, offering her $20,000 to tell lies about him that would assist her at any murder trial.
Agreed facts tendered in the case state that in 2009, Darcy hit her husband, Colin Crossman, on the head with a hammer as he slept.
Three days later when he was again asleep she took a tin of petrol from the garage and poured it on the bedroom floor and set it alight.
She had earlier given him a meal of tacos and samples later showed he had sedatives in his system.
The previous month, she had taken out a life insurance policy which paid $700,000 to her on the death of Mr Crossman.
Darcy, the sole beneficiary of a Dunbar’s estate (pictured) googled redback spiders and mushrooms six months before his death
Mr Hatfield said these events indicate Ms Darcy has a tendency to sedate and inflict serious harm on her domestic partners for financial gain.
Darcy claimed her partner had taken his own life because he was depressed about his sexuality and a severe leg infection, the Brisbane Times reported.
Some of her Google searches included ‘how to commit murder’ and ‘can police see websites you visit on your mobile’.
The mother had also carried out two ‘dry runs’ on Mr Dunbar to test the effects of the drugs.
More to come.