Overview
- Jurors, hearing the case on Thursday, listened to a recording made hours after Jonathan Crabtree was found dead, in which his mother called his death a shame, described his past mental health struggles, and floated a possible heart attack.
- Prosecutors say Maree Mavis Crabtree prepared a fruit smoothie spiked with oxycodone, and a pathologist found Jonathan died from an excessive amount of the prescription painkiller.
- The Crown plans to call sister Tara, who has been granted indemnity from prosecution, to testify that she kept watch as the drink was made and that the 000 call came hours after he died.
- Police and paramedics testified that Jonathan showed signs of having been dead for several hours, investigators found empty liquid oxycodone bottles including one in nearby bushland, and officers reported no fruit remnants in the kitchen despite the smoothie claim.
- The defence argues he could have overdosed on drugs he accessed himself, challenges Tara’s credibility, and rejects the alleged financial motive tied to household tensions and a later superannuation death‑benefit claim.