Perth Psychologist Luke Fawcett Guilty of Double Murder

September 28, 2021

A psychologist has been found guilty of murdering his neighbour and her brother by stabbing them multiple times in separate attacks.

Luke David Fawcett, 28, stood trial in the West Australian Supreme Court charged with murdering his neighbour Maree Collins, 66, and her brother Wayne Johnson, 62, at Ms. Collins’ Leonard St. unit in Victoria Park over Easter last year.

Fawcett had claimed he had nothing to do with Ms. Collins’ death, testifying that he found her body wrapped in blue tarpaulin at her home.

He also claimed he acted in self-defence against Mr. Johnson at the apartment after Mr. Johnson mistakenly thought Fawcett had killed his sister.

But the jury rejected his claims and found him guilty of both murders after deliberating for about half an hour on Thursday.

After a lengthy fight between the two men, Fawcett claimed Mr. Johnson tried to choke him.

He said he thought: “If he renders me unconscious here, I’m finished.”

Fawcett said he began to swing the knife “wildly” and it all “happened very quickly.”

Mr. Johnson suffered 25 stab wounds, including to his head, chest and abdomen.

Ms. Collins suffered 12 lacerations, including a cut to her throat.

Fawcett told the jury he decided not to call the police because he feared no one would believe him.

“I was worried I would be blamed for both these people’s deaths,” he said.

Fawcett said he changed his mind about burying the knife and taser, then asked his grandmother to take him to a doctor but lied about how he sustained his injuries.

Notes were found in his car listing “equipment” and “interrogation methods” but Fawcett said they were for a video game rather than a murder plot.

The court also heard Fawcett filmed himself “rehearsing” while wearing a black latex suit, and armed himself with a taser and knife, weeks before the murders.

Fawcett said in the video: “We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. If it’s the hard way you will be severely hurt and if you keep pushing me, eventually I will kill you.”

Prosecutor Justin Whalley said while it was not known why Fawcett killed Ms. Collins, it might have been to access her bank accounts and take over her apartment.

Mr. Whalley said it appeared Mr. Johnson was killed because he was “in the wrong place at the wrong time” after he went to check on his sister.

Fawcett will face a sentencing hearing in February.

Source: Angie Raphael, “Psychologist found guilty of murdering neighbour and her brother,” News.com.au, Sept. 23, 2021, URL: https://www.news.com.au/national/courts-law/psychologist-found-guilty-of-murdering-neighbour-and-her-brother/news-story/e55e96d81ae604c8b3364dba3ca12102