The jury in a trial heard that an individual named Carroll had a drug addiction and had met Benjamin Parkes and Robert Sloan while living in motels around Liverpool in 2020. The Crown prosecutor explained that Carroll had withdrawn $8000 from her superannuation and invested it with Parkes after learning he was involved in dealing methamphetamine. Parkes admitted to police that Carroll saw an opportunity to make money without much effort by investing with him and driving him around. However, Carroll wanted her money back, leading Parkes and Sloan to plot her murder as they believed she knew too much about their drug activities and posed a risk to them.
Carroll had initially met Parkes and Sloan while living in motels around Liverpool. CCTV footage captured the pair moving Carroll and her belongings out of her room at a hotel in Liverpool, with the final image showing her carrying bags and items down the hallway of the hotel on the evening of July 11, 2020. They allegedly took her to a garage in Smithfield where she was held without her phone for two days. Grainy dashcam footage recorded Parkes’ blue ute on a dark, remote road leading to Sandy Point quarry in bushland south of Sydney on the morning of July 14. Parkes claimed he went there to torch Carroll’s car as part of Sloan’s plan to teach her a lesson, denying any knowledge of a plan to kill her at the quarry.
The Crown prosecutor highlighted that Sloan waiting for Parkes to arrive at the quarry before allegedly killing Carroll raised questions about their involvement in her murder. Parkes had been telling associates before his arrest that Sloan was a predator who had killed Carroll in front of him, causing him trauma. However, Parkes’ lawyer argued that what happened was not part of any plan or agreement by Parkes. The jury is expected to retire to consider their verdict after Justice Natalie Adams summarizes the case against Parkes later in the week.
In the trial, the jury heard details of Carroll’s involvement with Parkes and Sloan, leading to her murder. The prosecutor presented evidence that Carroll had invested money with Parkes for drug-related activities and had wanted her money back, prompting Parkes and Sloan to plot her murder. CCTV footage showed Parkes and Sloan moving Carroll to a garage where she was held for two days before ultimately being taken to Sandy Point quarry, where her murder allegedly took place. Parkes claimed he only went to the quarry to torch Carroll’s car as part of Sloan’s plan, denying any prior knowledge of a plan to kill her.
The prosecutor questioned Sloan waiting for Parkes at the quarry before allegedly carrying out the murder, suggesting their premeditated agreement to kill Carroll. Despite Parkes claiming he was not aware of the plan to murder Carroll, he had been telling others before his arrest about Sloan being responsible for her death. Parkes’ lawyer argued that the events leading to Carroll’s murder were not part of any plan or agreement by Parkes, emphasizing his client’s trauma and lack of involvement. With Justice Natalie Adams set to summarize the case against Parkes, the jury is expected to deliberate on their verdict after considering all the evidence presented in court.
