A Melbourne woman rekindled her relationship with her accused killer because he was dying, a jury has been told.
Prosecutors allege Sarah Gatt, 39, was murdered by her on-again, off-again boyfriend Andrew Baker in 2017 during a “violent altercation” at her Kensington home.
Mr Baker has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of murder.
Her remains were discovered partially naked about eight months later, hidden under household items in the upstairs bathtub.
The 56-year-old is facing trial in Victoria’s Supreme Court, with his lawyer arguing there is no evidence he was responsible for the mother-of-two’s death.
Giving evidence this week, Ms Gatt’s ex-girlfriend Leona Rei-Paku said the deceased woman told her in mid-2016 she felt “compelled” to return to Mr Baker.
“She told me he was dying of bowel cancer,” She said.
“She felt obligated to him and he wasn’t going to live long. I told her to do whatever she felt was right.”
Ms Rei-Paku said at the time she believed Ms Gatt was going to care for Mr Baker but “wasn’t under the impression” the relationship between herself and Ms Gatt had ended.
Prosecutors, led by Jeremy McWilliams, allege Ms Gatt had gone back and forward between the two relationships in the year before her death, describing both as “turbulent and, at times, violent”.
Ms Rei-Paku told the court she tried a number of times to see Ms Gatt in late 2016 and early 2017, but was told “she doesn’t want to see you” by Mr Baker.
In his opening address to the jury, Mr McWilliams said the evidence would show Ms Gatt and Mr Baker’s relationship had “broken down again” in April 2017 and they were no longer living together.
He said Ms Rei-Paku was the last person to confirm seeing Ms Gatt alive on April 19, with her alleged murder falling between that evening and May 4.
“The accused was a man who was quite possessive and jealous of Ms Gatt but he was particularly troubled by Ms Gatt’s relationship with Rei-Paku,” Mr McWIlliams alleged.
“The love triangle was resolved by murdering Ms Gatt in her home.”
But Mr Baker’s barrister John Saunders said his client was not involved in Ms Gatt’s death.
He questioned how the jury could exclude the possibility Ms Rei-Paku was involved, or that she may have died from some “unknown misadventure”.
Ms Rei-Paku is not charged with any wrongdoing.
He told the court there was no direct evidence linking his client to her death and her autopsy had not found any injuries.
Ms Rei-Paku will continue giving evidence at the trial, before Justice Jane Dixon, on Tuesday.