An Ipswich man accused of murdering his grandmother went to a party after killing her, a court has been told.
Brett Adam Crowley has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 81-year-old grandmother at her Ipswich unit in June 2006.
Brisbane Supreme Court was told Crowley, then 18, was living with his grandmother, described in court as a “headstrong sort of woman” at the time because he did not get on with most of his family.
It is alleged he killed her during an argument at the unit on June 29, a day before relatives found her body.
The court was told he spent that night at a friend’s house with a group of friends who were drinking and playing video games.
Crowley’s friend Angie Turner, who hosted the party, said the accused was quiet but otherwise “seemed normal”.
He slept in until midday the following day and ignored numerous calls on his mobile phone, she said.
His cousins Marnie Dixon and Charlene Scanlan found Crowley’s body in her bedroom that morning and contacted police.
Turner said Crowley returned to her home that afternoon with numerous welts and bruises to his torso and looking pale.
He initially claimed he’d been hit with a slingshot while driving his grandmother’s car and left to go for a walk.
However, he returned a short time later and broke down crying as he confessed to killing his grandmother.
He contacted police that evening, she said.
Turner said Crowley had lost his his job and crashed his car in the days before the incident.
The trial before Justice Richard Chesterman is expected to continue for two weeks.
