Overview
- The Brisbane Supreme Court imposed a life sentence after Marsh pleaded guilty to murder, with the judge finding he smothered and manually strangled Ms Benedito, causing a fatal brain injury.
- Prosecutors said the separated couple argued over Ms Benedito’s plan to move to New Zealand and her seeing other men before Marsh dragged her back to the room and attacked her.
- After the assault, Marsh fled the hotel, took their 11-month-old son to Brisbane, and was arrested after trying to evade police, with the child later found safe following an amber alert.
- Justice Lincoln Crowley said Marsh made a “pathetic” attempt to revive Ms Benedito before fleeing and condemned the rage-fuelled effort to control her life.
- Family members delivered powerful victim impact statements about enduring grief, while a letter from Marsh expressed remorse and his lawyer said his plea spared them a trial.