Crime scene photographs showing a blood-spattered verandah where 45-year-old Simone Whyte-Barrington was found were presented to jurors on Tuesday.
This prompted accusations of an “ambush” from the defence after revelations that the photos were withheld for five years.
The testimony came during the ongoing murder trial of Shawn Mussington, accused of fatally stabbing his ex-partner, a hairdresser, in the chest at a gathering on Market Street on November 14, 2020.
A crime scene photographer faced intense questioning from defence attorney Wendel Alexander after admitting he only produced the photographic evidence on January 24, 2025—over five years after the incident. When pressed about the delay, the photographer claimed he had only recently received a request to produce the photos.
“It seems reasonable to me,” he stated when questioned about the prolonged delay.
Alexander characterized the late disclosure as an “ambush” and questioned the fairness to his client. The constable conceded it was not fair.
Further scrutiny revealed no fingerprint, footprint, or blood spatter analysis was conducted at the scene.
The photos showed blood on the wall and floor of the crime scene as well as the alleged murder weapon, a brown handle knife found near the body of the deceased.
The officer also disclosed that the accused was photographed in the hospital with a dressed wound to his throat and a bruise on his knee.
Also giving evidence on Tuesday was a witness who knew both the deceased and accused through her neighbour. She testified about the events leading up to the stabbing. She recounted how Mussington had been moving in and out of the building during a customer appreciation party.
She told the court of an interaction between the accused and the deceased where she asked him “why you watching me, why don’t you go with your friends?”
According to her testimony, Mussington then lifted his shirt, revealing what Whyte-Barrington identified as a knife.
Shortly after, the witness said that she initially thought Mussington was embracing Whyte-Barrington but then saw the victim on the ground.
During cross-examination, she acknowledged she never saw the knife until after they moved the victim and noted the poor lighting conditions in the area where Whyte-Barrington was standing.
A paramedic who responded to the scene around 8:31pm testified finding Whyte-Barrington without a pulse, her lips and fingertips turning blue, with a laceration to her left upper chest.
The court had previously heard that less than two weeks before her death, Whyte-Barrington filed a police report stating Mussington had threatened to kill both her and himself.
Despite their separation, evidence suggested Mussington remained fixated on his ex-partner, even securing and paying the deposit for her work station.
Eight out of a possible 30 witnesses have taken the stand with proceedings scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.
