Accused killer 'wanted to raise victim's children as her own'

A court has heard a woman’s desperate desire for children was the motive for murdering her housemate, a mother of four.

Samantha Kelly was killed in the home she shared with Peter Arthur and Ronald and Christine Lyons.

The Supreme Court was told about the trio’s bizarre love connections at the time of the murder.

Ms Lyons is accused of being the mastermind behind the killing of Ms Kelly.

Her co-accused, Mr Lyons, and the other housemate Mr Arthur, lived with Ms Kelly and her four children aged from 11 months to six years.

The court was told the trio planned to kill the 39-year-old in their Kangaroo Flat property near Bendigo in Victoria.

Crown prosecutor Fran Dalziel told the court Ms Lyons wanted to raise Ms Kelly’s children as her own.

“Both men were devoted to her and knew she desperately wanted children,” she said.

The jury was shown a diagram to explain bizarre love connections between the housemates.

The prosecution allege that in January 2016 Ms Lyons told Mr Lyons’ cousin: “I want you to make Sam go on a permanent holiday”.

When spiking Ms Kelly’s drinks for days with prescription medication didn’t work, it’s alleged Mr Arthur armed himself with a hammer and struck Ms Kelly up to seven times to the head.

Afterwards it’s alleged Ms Lyons ordered Mr Lyons to check if their housemate was really dead.

Ms Kelly’s body was found in a dry creek bed near Bendigo.

The court heard Ms Lyons asked her neighbour to have a child for her and admitted she’d previously asked 10 other people who had all declined.

Mr Arthur has admitted to killing Ms Kelly.

The defence will argue he acted alone.