Man walked naked, thanked colours before stabbing woman
Tara Cosoleto |
A killer walked around naked and told his carer she needed to sleep with him to save the animals in the hour before he stabbed a woman to death, a jury has been told.
Mark Ludbrook, who uses a wheelchair due to his neurological condition, admits he killed his friend Autumn Baker at his home in Melbourne’s west on August 3, 2023.
But he has pleaded not guilty to murder in the Victorian Supreme Court, claiming his mind was altered by the illicit drug PCE and he had no control of his actions.
Amber Davison, Ludbrook’s in-home carer at the time, told the jury in his murder trial he had been acting strangely in the lead-up to Ms Baker’s death.
Ms Davison arrived at Ludbrook’s house about 8.30am on August 3 and they chatted normally for some time before he went into his bedroom.
Ludbrook then repeatedly called out for Ms Davison, making an unusual request for her to give him a $50 note as quickly as she could.
She returned with the note and he told her to close the door and turn off the lights because he had to be in the dark.
Ms Davison told the jury Ludbrook then started thanking different colours, except grey, and described how he needed to save animals and thousands of people.
He then urged her to give him high fives and say hallelujah as their palms connected, before he grabbed the $50 note and began rubbing it on his bare chest.
Ms Davison said Ludbrook then told her they had to sleep together because they had to save the animals.
She told the jury she refused his request and chuckled a bit because she was so shocked by his behaviour.
He then proceeded to pull his pants down, stand up and begin walking.
“Obviously I was shocked,” Ms Davison told the jury on Tuesday.
“The whole time caring for him and him going to physiotherapy, there was a whole focus on three steps and then five steps.
“It was something that was going to be exciting and triumphant but it didn’t feel like that.”
Videos Ms Davison took that morning were played to the jury, showing Ludbrook standing naked in his backyard.
She said he walked in and outside the house for about 90 minutes before Ms Baker arrived.
“She had been trying to contact him earlier in the morning and firstly he didn’t respond and then his phone was off so she came to do a welfare check,” Ms Davison said.
Ludbrook, who was still naked, continued to walk around the home as the two women discussed what they should do.
He then grabbed a steak knife from the kitchen and went to his room, where he began stabbing himself in the abdomen.
Ms Davison told the jury she followed and tried to stop him, before Ms Baker also came in to help.
Ms Davison left the room briefly to grab her phone to call triple zero when she heard Ms Baker scream.
“She sounded terrified and she essentially was calling out for me not to leave her,” Ms Davison told the jury through tears.
Ms Baker died at the scene after suffering multiple stab wounds, including two to her chest.
The trial before Justice John Champion continues.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
AAP
