Man guilty of lotto winner murder
A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a lotto fortune winner in Tamworth.
The Northern Daily Leader has reported that Peter Kelly, the former finance manager for $5 million prize winner Maria Lourdes (Lou) Devrell, faced court yesterday admitting to her murder.
On March 28 this year Mrs Devrell was found dead by a family member and four friends in a pool of blood on the dining room floor at her Kingswood home.
In June 1999 Lou Devrell and her husband David won a $5 million Oz Lotto jackpot. At that time she worked for the Sara Lee food company and he worked as a train guard.
According to reports, David Devrell and Peter Kelly had been friends as far back as the 1980s and met through a shared interest in motorcycles and bike rallies.
Mr Kelly was said to be working as a financial advisor for a company at the time of the lotto win and appointed as a financial manager for the Devrells.
Prosecutors handed over a brief of evidence to the court yesterday in which they allege that Kelly murdered Mrs Devrell on his way to Watsons Creek.
Evidence documents argue that the two had had a disagreement over money at the Devrell house before he hit her over the head with a rubber mallet and smothered her.
After killing her, he continued on his way to meet David Devrell, the victim's husband, where they were to spend about three days, the prosecutors allege.
Forensic evidence presented to the court yesterday included details of positive matches of traces of Mrs Devrell's blood found in Kelly's car and from his fingers, The Northern Daily Leader reported.
There was also evidence that the murder weapon had not been identified until a police search undertaken near Tintinhull in early September discovered a mallet and Mrs Devrell's purse.
In previous court hearings suggestions of a motive alluded to the management of money and financial affairs. Yesterday it was revealed in the brief of evidence that there had been a number of failed financial investments undertaken by Kelly.
Evidence reportedly also showed that in 2000 Kelly moved to assume power of attorney giving him control of the couple's spending, bank accounts and payment of bills. It is alleged the Devrell's themselves had money management problems.
Kelly remains in prison and did not apply for bail.
Sentencing proceedings are due on November 4.
