Man sent to trial in Tascas murder case

Alex de Vos
A 45-year-old Whittington man accused of murdering housemate Trevor Tascas has been committed to stand trial.
Lawrence Butler pleaded not guilty in Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to murdering Mr Tascas in 2005.
Butler will appear in the Melbourne Supreme Court on April 8 for a directions hearing.
Magistrate Rosemary Carlin told the court she was satisfied of sufficient evidence for a “reasonable jury to conclude Mr Tascas was murdered”.
Witnesses were reported to have earlier told the court they believed that bone and ash they saw in a barrel at Butler’s house was Mr Tascas’s remains.
Ms Carlin refused bail for Butler.
His defence, Wayne Toohey, told the court the case should not go to trial because it was “too weak” and based on a theory.
“There is no evidence that Butler killed Mr Tascas,” Mr Toohey said.
“The Crown would have to go to the jury with a theory that Butler murdered Mr Tascas and the Crown wouldn’t be able to do that.”
The court heard Mr Tascas went missing in 2005 but his mother had not reported his disappearance to police until January, 2007.
In July last year homicide detectives arrested and charged Butler with murder.
During the two-day committal hearing this week, Mr Tascas’s uncle, Neil Grayson, told the court the last time he saw his nephew was in September or October, 2005.
Mr Grayson said Mr Tascas looked unwell and suspected he was on drugs.
During a police interview Mr Grayson said Butler had visited him after Mr Tascas’s disappearance.
Butler had come to his house asking him for money “as payment for debts Trevor owed”, Mr Grayson told police.
Mr Grayson said Mr Tascas was living with Butler before he disappeared.
The court also heard Mr Tascas had been in a relationship with a schoolgirl while living with his uncle before moving in with Butler.
“The father of the girl was a bikie and the father had made it clear to Trevor that he was unhappy about the relationship,” Mr Grayson said.