Adelaide, Australia — In a high-stakes murder trial that has captivated the local community, jurors were presented with the physical evidence at the heart of the prosecution against 48-year-old Keith Russell Yandle. Yandle is accused of the brutal murder of Steven Murphy, which allegedly took place in February 2023 on Yandle’s property in Kudla, just north of Adelaide.
During the proceedings in South Australia’s Supreme Court, jurors handled a semi-automatic Ruger rifle — described by the defense as being 935 millimeters in length and weighing nearly 3 kilograms. The rifle, equipped with a light and laser pointer, was brought into court to help jurors understand its heft and operational mechanics.
Defense lawyer Bill Boucaut KC expressed intentions for the jury to physically feel the weight of the weapon, suggesting, “I would like that it be passed to the jury… I would like the jury to understand its weight,” a move that presiding Justice Anne Bampton allowed after ensuring the weapon was secured.
Crime scene investigator Sergeant Steven Gresch assured the court that the weapon was now completely inoperable and posed no danger. He detailed its condition when initially examined, noting it was in good condition and functioned correctly during testing.
The trial comes after Yandle previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, firearm offenses, and to concealing Mr. Murphy’s body, which was unearthed buried 2.1 meters underground inside the shed. However, prosecutors did not accept Yandle’s manslaughter plea, prompting the ongoing murder trial.
Murphy’s alleged murder, according to prosecutors, occurred after Yandle discovered him in a shed on the property where Yandle and his son resided. It is purported that Yandle’s initial shot was intended as a warning to drive Murphy from his hiding spot. However, Yandle allegedly proceeded to shoot Murphy four times, including a fatal shot through the heart. The jury was informed that Murphy, found among a homegrown cannabis crop, was unarmed and compliant when shot.
Adding to the gravity of events, after the shooting, Yandle reportedly engaged in a macabre vigil over Murphy’s body, at one point supposedly lighting a cigarette and stepping on Murphy’s hands, checking for signs of life in a grim confirmation of death.
In reconstructing the events of that night, police relied on infrared CCTV footage, piecing together over 5,000 short clips activated by motion sensors. This evidence was compiled into a video presented under strict confidentiality, with the courtroom cleared except for the jurors and legal parties involved.
Sergeant Gresch also recounted for the jury that police were led to Yandle’s property following a tip-off by his brother, Brock Yandle, who lived in a separate part of the house. The investigating officers were guided to a concealed site where heavy machinery had been used to initially excavate the ground surrounding Murphy’s remains, which were later carefully uncovered with hand tools.
This ongoing trial, overseen by Justice Bampton and a 12-person jury, is set to include a visit to the crime scene. Jurors will be transported to Yandle’s Kudla property to better contextualize the events as they prepare to deliberate on the case.
As this complex and tragic trial progresses, it underscores not only the dramatic and sorrowful circumstances surrounding Murphy’s death but also the legal intricacies of prosecuting alleged violent crimes.
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