Sueellen Pike (63) was last seen between 11-30 August 2010 in Burleigh Waters, Queensland; her son, Stephen Jonathan Pike was charged with the murder of his mother,
She has never been found. No one had seen or heard from Mrs Pike, apart from her son, since 12 August 2010
Mrs Pike had a close relationship with a number of elderly people associated with a church community and was aided by members of that church community in relation to such matters as transportation. She also received assistance from Home Care Services, Department of Health.
She was a disability pensioner and owned the Burleigh Waters duplex she shared with the accused.
In about May 2010, the appellant came to live with her and assisted with her care.
In July 2010, Mrs Pike altered her will, revoking her previous will which left her estate to the appellant and his brother Adam Pike, and instead made the appellant the sole beneficiary.
Ms Pike told a friend she’d recently made Stephen the sole beneficiary of her will because he wasn’t as financially well-placed as her other son.
In October 2010, he was charged six weeks after his mother went missing.
Police were led to the spot after learning Stephen Pike’s broken-down car had been towed from the area on August 15, 2010 – three days after his mother went missing.
In discharging the onus on it to prove that Mrs Pike was killed by her son, the prosecution relied on a variety of conduct and lies of Pike, said to demonstrate a consciousness of guilt on the part of the Pike as follows:
- • Disposing of the deceased’s body in circumstances where it was not found.
- • Purchasing a shovel and two drop sheets on 13 August 2010.
- • Disposing of Mrs Pike’s personal property in a fire.
A crown tooth and the remnants of a handbag and pair of glasses – all matching Ms Pike’s – were found in a fire bed in bushland in the Gold Coast hinterland.
- • Disposing of the shoes and clothes he was wearing when he burnt Mrs Pike’s property.
- • Conducting internet searches for butchers’ supplies and associated cleaning products.
- • Acquiring an industrial strength cleaner the day after police conducted a welfare check for Mrs Pike at her home.
- • Calling for a tow truck from a payphone. (The tow truck driver had seen what looked like a shovel in the back seat.)
- • Failing to report Mrs Pike missing for two weeks.
- • Deleting messages from Mrs Pike’s telephone message bank.
- • Removing upholstery from his car in an area where a bloodstain was found which could be inferred to be Mrs Pike’s blood.
- • Disposing of some of Mrs Pike’s medication to make it appear as if she had committed suicide.
- • Lying to police about Mrs Pike going missing on 13 August 2010.
- • Lying to police about going jogging on 14 August 2010and not seeing his mother leave the house.
- • Lying to police about what he was doing on the night of 14 August 2010
He was acquitted by the jury of murder but convicted of manslaughter.
Court Reports:
R v Pike [2014] QCA 352 (19 December 2014)
http://www.australianmissingpersonsregister.com/SuellenPike.htm
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