Beach party machete killer guilty
A partygoer at a New Year's Eve beach rave north of Perth has been found guilty of murdering another reveller he slashed across the throat with a machete.
Gasps of distress, tears and cries of relief were heard in the public gallery of the Supreme Court this afternoon when a jury delivered its verdict that Joseph Robert Houston was guilty of murdering James Dean Dorloff at the Wedge Island party in the early hours of 2014.
The jury, which deliberated for about 7 1/2 hours, also convicted Houston of grievous bodily harm with intent for slashing the machete at Tyson Cummings, who had four fingers severed and suffered injuries to his nerves and tendons in his left hand.
The murder weapon. Picture: Supplied.
Throughout the trial, witnesses told the court of a happy, love-filled atmosphere until a series of fights escalated into a brawl of up to 100 people soon after the midnight countdown.
Mr Dorloff's jugular vein was severed and he collapsed on the sand, where he bled to death.
Houston denied the charges, claiming he had been acting in self defence, having panicked and been in fear of his life when he swung the machete at the two men.
But the State case alleged Houston had deliberately and forcefully swung the machete at Mr Dorloff in an act of gratuitous violence.
Mr Dorloff's injuries were fatal from the moment they were inflicted.
James Dorloff's injuries were fatal from the moment they were inflicted. Picture:Facebook
Graphic and chilling recordings from a mobile phone which showed Houston stalking the beach with the machete in his hand was played to the jury during the trial.
Houston was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in August after a psychiatric report is prepared for the court.
