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'Black widow's' sons open up about death penalty

The sons of an Australian man killed in Bali said they want "justice served" even if it means the death penalty for their mother, who is currently on trial for his murder.

Noor Ellis confessed to her sons Peter and John that she arranged a $14,000 hit on their father, her husband of 25 years, Bob Ellis.

She has been charged with premeditated murder and, if convicted, could face execution by firing squad.

In an exclusive interview with Seven's Sunday Night, Peter, 20, and John, 25, discussed for the first time how they feel about the impending verdict.

"We knew that she was going to somehow be punished with either a lengthy jail sentence or the death penalty," Peter said.

"We just want justice served, whatever that means."

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Bob Ellis was found bound, wrapped in black plastic and dumped in a Balinese rice field on October 21. His wife was arrested and accused of arranging for her maid's boyfriend and four others to murder him.

Her sons, both students in Perth, have also said they believed Ellis was working from jail to try to take control of key assets from their father's $30M empire business empire.

They told reporter Steve Pennells how their mother hid the crime from them until they heard it on the news.

"My dad came into the villa at around 6:30, 6:00 and he was going to the back of the house to the kitchen to cook up his dinner and my mum shouted out ‘Can you come and help me in the kitchen?’ and that’s where it happened," Peter said.

Police allege the maids had been paid to take away Bob’s pet dog so it wouldn’t bark while five men hid in the kitchen. The men then allegedly tackled Bob to the floor and cut his throat with a carving knife.

"I tried to ring mum. And she wasn’t picking up the phone and at this time I didn’t know what was happening," Peter said.

Peter texted his mother to find out where his father was and she replied in a text message, "I'll ask him when I see him".

When he heard the body was his father's and said he suspected his mother instantly.

"The next day I wake up and her name is on the internet everywhere."

"I can’t describe it."

Police allege money was the motive for the contract killing but Mrs Ellis' lawyers claim she was in an abusive relationship and the hitmen she hired were not supposed to murder her husband – just give him a scare.

Noor Ellis hugs her son's girlfriend as she leaves prison for court.
Noor Ellis hugs her son's girlfriend as she leaves prison for court.

She told her sons she had been overcome and didn’t mean to have him killed.

"She said, “it wasn’t me, it was someone else”. Something inside her like a spirit or a monster that just, you know, pushed her to do it," John said.

"She says she was possessed."

READ MORE: Son's accuse mum of murdering father

Article by Philippa Lees