Alleged killer practised on relative

5:31 PM Thursday Aug 12, 2010

A former United States marine accused of the stabbing death of New Zealand-born nurse Michelle Beets allegedly held a knife to his brother-in law's throat to practise the killing, a Sydney court was told today.

Ms Beets, 58, a nurse manager at Royal North Shore Hospital, was attacked as she approached her Sydney home just after dark on April 27.

Walter Ciaran Marsh, 49, has yet to enter a plea to the charge that he murdered Ms Beets - a former work colleague.

Her throat was cut and she was stabbed at least a dozen times on the chest and neck.

A document tendered to Central Local Court today revealed Marsh's wife, Kim Chi Le - also known as Samantha Marsh - and brother-in law, Vinh Quang Le (Gabriel Le), would give evidence against him at a committal hearing scheduled for October 11.

Mr Le told police that Marsh used him "to practise slitting someone's throat and ... directed (him) to resist while (Marsh) performed this act".

Mr Le was also expected to tell the court that two months before Ms Beets was killed Marsh had sharpened his knife.

The case against Marsh relied on admissions he allegedly made to his wife, the document said. However, the document did not outline what those alleged admissions were.

Mrs Marsh told police she had assisted her husband, who remains in custody, after the killing.

The document said she had not given police a full account of her knowledge of events when she was initially questioned, but later made "progressive disclosure" of the admissions Marsh allegedly made to her.

From: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10665616