Before he was beaten to death by a frying pan, Peter McCarthy was fed steak and potato bake by the woman accused of his murder, a court has heard.
Narelle Fiona Smith, 46, is accused of murdering Mr McCarthy, with a frying pan, after his body was found in his South Coogee unit on December 20, 2020, face-up on the lounge room floor surrounded by broken furniture, glasses and frying pan, the jury has been told.
The 77-year-old was found on Sunday, December 20, three days after Smith says she cooked him dinner and helped him remove his ex-lover's belongings from his home so he could begin a new relationship with a neighbour.
"He said Kylie (Vaughn) made him feel happy unlike his friendship and romantic situation with (Julia Strafela)," she wrote in a handwritten statement collected by police when she was arrested.
"I said I would help him to get all (Ms Strafela's) personal stuff out as he wasn't able to cope with her backlash."
After ridding his home of all traces of Ms Strafela, Smith said she cooked dinner for a "tipsy" Mr McCarthy.
"I asked Peter if he wanted dinner, and found steaks and potato bake - which were the only things not expired," she said.
"I was happy he ate something, he was tipsy."
Police found a McCains potato bake package in the bin of Mr McCarthy's home during a forensic search, the court heard.
The jury was also shown body-worn footage of Smith's arrest on January 11, 2021, where she told police her fingerprints and blood would have been found at Mr McCarthy's unit because she cut herself trying to change his lock on the same evening.
"I didn't murder him, I wouldnt do that, he was my friend," she told police multiple times as she was escorted out of her home.
Channel 10 journalist Steve Hart gave evidence he was in regular contact with Smith as he was looking for a "scoop".
Hart visited Mr McCarthy's Coogee unit block the day his body was found to do interviews and prepare a story, and struck up a conversation with Smith, who said Mr McCarthy was a friend.
The jury was played a phone call between Smith and a police officer in which she said she believed Mr Hart was in working with police.
"Do you know the police reporter? The one covering the stuff at Parramatta for Channel 10?" she asked Detective Peter Rudence on the phone before her arrest.
"Oh no I don't, we don't talk to reporters," Det Rudence replied.
"Then he's a lying little s*** because I've been talking to him thinking it was going to you," she said.
Hart said he considered Smith a friendly neighbour of the victim, and they exchanged numbers to discuss the case.
Channel 10 later aired a portion of the interview, agreeing to blur her face and protect her identity.
This interview would air again after her arrest, without being blurred.
The trial continues.
