SWAN Hill-raised mother of three Samantha Fraser sustained a brain injury before her death, a court has heard.
A Crown prosecutor told the Supreme Court in Melbourne Ms Fraser’s death was at the hands of her ex-husband Adrian Basham, who had made her death “appear as a suicide”.
Mr Basham, on trial for murder, has admitted to assaulting Ms Fraser on the day of her death but has denied the charge.
Experts told the court this week that the DNA profiles of three contributors were found on the knot of a noose used to hang Ms Fraser.
The court heard this DNA was “100 billion times more likely” to be Mr Basham’s than a person chosen randomly from a Caucasian member of the population.
Mr Basham’s DNA is alleged to have been present under Ms Fraser’s fingernails.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Spooner told the court Ms Fraser’s body was bruised and bloody when found and “her right cheek-eye area appeared to be swollen”.
“Her hair appeared to be wet and some had fallen forward across her face,” he said.
“I observed a reddish purple mark running across her head from above her right eye.”
In the autopsy, forensic pathologist Dr Sarah Parsons noted multiple bruises on Ms Fraser’s face, neck, upper and lower limbs.
She established the cause of death as hanging in the setting of multiple blunt force injuries.
Dr Parsons said a number of the injuries were consistent with blunt force that could include actions such as a punch, kick or fall, and there were injuries consistent with defensive moves like blocking an attack.
Dr Parsons said it was possible three haemorrhages in Ms Fraser’s head area may have have left her dazed or stunned, conscious or unconscious.
Although she could not specify the result in Ms Fraser’s case, she said the injuries were not incurred as a result of hanging.
A second forensic pathologist, Dr Linda Iles, identified a lower-grade axonal injury in Ms Fraser’s brain.
The trial continues.People needing support should contact Lifeline on 131 114 or 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
