A man has denied killing his 20-year-old girlfriend at a Rutherford home last year after she had allegedly sent distressed messages to friends.
Jethro Gamueda, 32, appeared in Newcastle Local Court via video link from custody on Wednesday, September 23, where he pleaded not guilty to the lone charge of domestic violence murder.
He will face the NSW Supreme Court later this year, where he will be handed a trial date.
Gamueda is accused of murdering his partner, Summer Fleming, in his bedroom at Rutherford, in the Hunter Valley, on or about August 17, 2025.
Ms Fleming was found unresponsive at a home on Unicomb Close just before 5am the next day after Gamueda called triple zero to report his partner was not breathing.
Gamueda remains behind bars after previously making a failed bid for bail in the NSW Supreme Court, where his lawyers argued the 20-year-old woman could have died accidentally.
The court heard Gamueda had taken photos of Ms Fleming in a "highly unusual position" in the bedroom that night, which he told police were to show her the next morning, but it was "strongly suspected" she was already dead.
During the application, the NSW Supreme Court heard the pair had been dating since 2024 and worked together, but prosecutors allege the relationship was marred by abusive and controlling behaviour.
When Gamueda applied for bail, the specific cause of Ms Fleming's death was called into question.
The Crown case is that sometime that night, an act by Gamueda caused her death, potentially by holding her in a position that led to asphyxiation.
According to the prosecution timeline, the couple argued throughout the day, family members allegedly heard yelling, neighbours reported a female scream in the night, and Ms Fleming had sent distressed messages to friends, including asking for somewhere to stay.
Ms Fleming was described as a young woman who dreamed of becoming a nurse and "a beautiful soul".
