Martin Marinovich trial: Accused told family friend he 'couldn't cope' before attacking his mother

6:10 pm on 18 February 2020

A man accused of murdering his mother told a family friend he couldn't cope shortly before he attacked her with a hammer, a court has heard.

Martin Marinovich is on trial at the High Court at Auckland.

Martin Marinovich is on trial at the High Court at Auckland. Photo: RNZ

Martin Marinovich on trial in the High Court at Auckland charged with murdering Noeleen Marinovich in their Oratia home last year.

The 28-year-old made a distressed 111 call in the early hours of 8 February; telling the operator he'd killed his mother after an argument.

When police arrived at his home they found Ms Marinovich's head had been struck at least twelve times with a red-handled hammer that lay beside her.

The court has heard Mr Marinovich was her primary caregiver; looking after his mother through ongoing bipolar disorder and worsening physical health.

Today, the jury heard from family friend Janet Daniel who said she'd first Ms Marinovich 40 years ago and talked to her on the phone every day.

She told the court her friend seemed to have a good relationship with her son, who was generally laid back and helpful.

"They got along very well. They'd have a few words sometimes, everybody does, and he'd say to her 'oh mum you don't know what you're talking about'.

"He'd laugh and walk out the room and go to the bedroom."

She told the jury Mr Marinovich had been looking after his mother since he was nine and things had grown harder over the years.

"The last few years have been really hard for him because she became incontinent. He rang me up one night and he said 'oh Janet she's made such a mess of the mat in the lounge,'

"He said 'I've tried to clean it and I can't get it out'. I said 'well throw the mat away Martin because you won't get it out'."

Daniel said Ms Marinovich grew more dependent on her son in the months leading up to her death.

At the time of her death he was responsible for the shopping, cleaning, cooking and his mother's safety.

"She would collapse and he would have to go get her out of the bath. She would collapse in the lounge. She couldn't stand to do the cooking towards the last six to eight months. He never went out much at all because she couldn't be left [alone]."

Daniel said Mr Marinovich was a friendly young man but his demeanor changed shortly before he killed his mother.

She described his mood when his mother was last admitted to hospital a week before her death.

"When he was at the hospital I walked in the door and usually when I used to see him he'd say 'oh hello Janet how are you today?' and all this.

"I walked in the door and got fairly close to him and I said 'oh hello Martin' and he looked around and said 'hello' and then he turned back to the wall and he was twitching. He jumped from one foot to the other."

Daniel said Mr Marinovich seemed strange and spaced out, which was most unusual to her, so she asked him what was going on.

"He left about 2.30pm and I followed him out into the corridor and I said to him "Martin what's the matter?'. He said 'I can't cope. I can't cope any more',

"And I said to him 'don't take her home leave her at the hospital. He just said "I can't cope with her Janet, I can't cope with her anymore'."

Mr Marinovich had admitted attacking his mother, but says it's not murder.

This morning the jury heard from Detective Constable Anna Fagar, who led a three day scene examination at the Oratia house.

"It was a very dirty house. Most surfaces and items had a thick layer of dust... there were a lot of cobwebs on light fittings, the ceiling and items. Very cluttered and dirty."

Fagar said she seized a large blue mink blanket draped over Ms Marinovich's body and a red-handled hammer that lay next to her - both shown to the jury as Crown exihibits this morning.

The trial before Justice Walker and a jury of nine women and three men is set down for two weeks.