BDSM slave’s ‘merciless’ hammer attack
The reason a slave “snapped” and brutally killed his dominatrix’s boyfriend in a 10-minute attack will remain a mystery, a court has been told.
Stuart Lindsey Heron returned before the Victorian Supreme Court Friday and was jailed over the frenzied murder of Nicholas Cameron, 31, in July 2021.
The 50-year-old kept his head down, eyes fixed on the dock in front of him, as details of the crime were read out.
Heron had been enlisted by his dominatrix, Heide Victoria Bos, to “confront” her boyfriend – Mr Cameron – whom she had complained was an “ungrateful f--kwit”.
Heron and Bos had met online about two months earlier, entering into a willing dominant/ submissive relationship conducted mostly over text messages.
“Could you make him leave town?” Bos asked Heron a week before the murder.
“Yes m’lady I can be very persuasive,” he replied.
Days before the attack, Heron began stalking Mr Cameron online and staking out his building.
On July 4, he was present in and around the building for seven hours, caught on CCTV standing outside Mr Cameron’s door holding a weapon.
Sentencing Heron, Justice Michael Croucher said by July 8 the pair had agreed that Heron would assault Mr Cameron, steal his valuables and potentially kidnap him.
“I wish I could come and give this c--t a good kicking,” Bos said.
“I’m 99 per cent certain I can convince him not to contact you or speak about you again m’lady, lol,” Heron replied.
CCTV footage showed Heron, armed with a knife and a hammer, run from behind a carpark pillar and launch into a frenzied attack on Mr Cameron as he left his Southbank apartment shortly after midnight on July 10 with his little white terrier, Misty.
Neighbours overheard Mr Cameron screaming for help and called police who arrested Heron at the scene.
Found with a bloody knife, hammer, dog lead and handcuffs, Heron told police he’d just “stabbed a f--king ice dealer”.
Investigators were able to trace the connection back to Bos after finding messages between the pair on Heron’s phone.
Justice Croucher said Heron had otherwise led a “blameless life” that was hard to reconcile with the “brutal, frenzied and relentless armed attack”.
“He was infatuated with Ms Bos ... very lonely and knew his love was not reciprocated by her,” he said.
“Why he snapped and beat Mr Cameron so viciously, to the point of murdering him, might remain a mystery for all time.
“He may not know or even want to find out.”
Justice Croucher found that Heron had been influenced by the “stories” Bos had told him about her relationship with Mr Cameron and was concerned for her safety as a result.
Justice Croucher accepted Heron had only planned to talk with Mr Cameron, but when the man “rightfully” tried to defend himself, Heron “snapped”.
“I am satisfied at some point soon afterwards he completely lost control and stabbed and struck repeatedly with the hammer to his head,” he said.
“This was brutal and merciless.”
Heron was jailed for 22 years and will be eligible for parole after 15 years.
Justice Croucher took into account Heron’s prior good character, remorse and good prospects of reforming himself.
“Mr Heron will be returning to the community eventually, albeit a much older man,” he said.
“By that stage he will be a much older man and will have had many years to reflect on his behaviour.”
Heide Victoria Bos was sentenced to serve six years in prison for manslaughter for her role after pleading guilty earlier this year.
Sentencing her, Justice Croucher found that she had “no idea” Heron would kill Mr Cameron.
