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A woman has confessed to killing a man, whose dismembered remains were discovered near a bustling railway line, asserting she acted out of self-defense.
In addition, Brendan Dalton, aged 54, was convicted of the same crime during a trial held in June.
The incident involving Warrington’s death occurred between July 16 and July 18, 2023, amid a brutal attack at a residence in Chadstone, located in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.
Surveillance footage captured McIver and Wyatt entering the premises through a side window shortly before 10 a.m. on July 16.
While details remain scarce about the events that followed, crown prosecutor David Glynn informed the court that the pair killed Warrington during an “unlawful and dangerous assault.”
Wyatt then moved Warrington’s body into a wheelie bin and dumped the remains at the nearby Glen Waverley train line on the morning of July 18.
The killers then set the Chadstone property on fire and fled the scene.
Photos of Warrington’s hog-tied and mutilated body were taken by Wyatt and shared to his associates, the court was told.
Police only located Warrington’s remains along the train tracks after Wyatt was arrested on July 21.
He had a missing finger, tape around his neck and cuts behind his knees that suggested they had tried to dismember him.
An autopsy could not determine his exact cause of death although he may have been strangled.
The court was told in the days before the manslaughter, police raided the Chadstone property in connection to an unrelated aggravated burglary and discovered 2.5kg of 1,4-Butanediol.
McIver falsely told police she was responsible for the drugs, even though they actually belonged to Warrington, and she was charged with drug trafficking.
McIver, Wyatt and Dalton then developed a plan to attack Warrington because he let McIver take the blame, Glynn told the court.
A series of messages between the trio were read aloud, including one where Dalton stated they should hurt Warrington because he “f—ed with” McIver and he “didn’t know what was coming”.
In her police interview, McIver told police “everything happened” because she was under duress from Wyatt, he was murderous and psychotic, and she did what she had to do to survive.
Her barrister Ruth Shann SC said McIver was fearful of Wyatt because he was allegedly physically abusive both in the lead-up to the manslaughter and the days afterwards.
Shann told the court McIver had a traumatic upbringing and had since been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, severe personality disorder and an acquired brain injury.
Shann’s submissions will continue on Friday morning before lawyers for Wyatt and Dalton outline their defence to Justice James Gorton.
Help is available from the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.