Gregor Mactaggart
THE committal hearing into the death of Newborough’s Jarrad Lovison will continue in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week.
The first week of hearing concluded with the revelation a man charged with the murder turned up at a friend’s house asking for an alibi.
The court heard Jake Brown, 30, was not wearing a shirt when he visited the home of Danial Ruddell and told him he needed to vouch for him.
Mr Ruddell said at the time he did not link the visit in the early hours of the morning in April 2020 to the disappearance of Mr Lovison.
He said he thought Mr Brown wanted an alibi because he was having an affair with Samantha Guillerme, 25.
Mr Brown, Ms Guillerme and Andrew Price, 48, have all been charged with murder in relation to Mr Lovison’s death.
Police allege Mr Lovison was killed on April 16, 2020.
His body was found in bushland at Moondarra State Park, north of Moe, on May 23, 2020.
The prosecution tendered Mr Ruddell’s statement to police as evidence during
the hearing.
In the police statement, Mr Ruddell recalled Mr Brown telling him that he and Mr Price had “got rid of” Mr Lovison, but dismissed the remark as bravado.
Earlier in the week, the court heard Mr Price was in a relationship with Mr Lovison’s ex-partner Ange O’Brien, and the two men were in the midst of a feud before Mr Lovison’s death.
In a statement read to the court, witness Patrick Alan said Mr Price had raised paying $50,000 to have Mr Lovison killed.
He said Mr Price was angry after receiving a text from Mr Lovison saying he had slept with Ms O’Brien.
Ms O’Brien was in a relationship with Mr Price at the time.
The court heard Mr Alan said Mr Price discussed killing Mr Lovison and said if there was no body “there was no evidence”.
During that conversation, Mr Alan was also offered money.
“He said ‘is $50,000 enough?’,” Mr Alan said in the statement.
“I said it might be, I don’t know what the prices are. I told him straight out I wasn’t interested.”
Ms O’Brien, who was the first witness called on Monday, said Mr Lovison had been jealous of her relationship with Mr Price.
She said the two men had fought in an incident outside of Ms O’Brien’s home, with Mr Price suffering a broken arm.
The committal continues today.
