Thomas Bednar made no secret for his dislike of his mother as police drove him to court after charging him with her murder.
But in a recorded conversation with officers, he repeatedly said he'd been framed and urged them to find out who really killed 78-year-old Judy Bednar.
Bednar, 54, spoke candidly with officers in a conversation played to jurors in his Victorian Supreme Court murder trial on Wednesday. He has pleaded not guilty.
An officer acknowledged Bednar had "a past" with his mother and had earlier told police he wasn't upset about her death in May 2021.
He's accused of murdering her in her Chelsea home sometime between May 12 and May 15.
Her body was found by police during a welfare check. Friends were unable to reach her for several days.
"I'll be straight up with you about that because she's been an absolute bitch to me," Bednar said.
He told officers he hadn't known she was dead until they arrested him while he walked to the beach for a swim.
"I don't know anything about the murder. How did she die?" he asked.
Bednar said he didn't have a scratch on him, before asking if a gun or knife was involved.
The officer refused to give details, saying he wanted the court process to be fair to Bednar.
"I don't know what the hell happened, I can't say what happened because I wasn't there," Bednar said.
"I've been set up and I don't know how."
Bednar broke down telling police he had never been in custody before, but that he had been detained for mental health reasons.
"This is even more frightening," he said.
He also became upset when police asked what he wanted to happen with his cat, Dennis.
Officers said they would arrange for Dennis to be taken to the Lort Smith Animal Hospital to be cared for through the court process and asked if they could get a friend to check in on the loved pet.
"I don't know, since all this s*** I've lost all my friends," he said.
Bednar explained his life had been "fine" 12 months earlier and that he had a taxi and regular clientele.
Prosecutor Mark Rochford KC alleged Bednar murdered his mother because he blamed her for a series of mental health-related involuntary hospital admissions.
Bednar's barrister John Desmond has told jurors family friend Danny Cohen is another plausible suspect in Mrs Bednar's murder.
Mr Cohen gave evidence in the trial, telling jurors he had not framed Bednar.
Mr Rochford closed the prosecution case on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Desmond did not call any evidence.
Lawyers will give their closing statements to jurors from Thursday.
