An alleged hitman accused of executing Stacey Klimovitch when she answered her front door in Stockton in 2021 and the alleged getaway driver have pleaded not guilty to murdering the 61-year-old grandmother and well-known swimming teacher and will face a trial in October after the alleged mastermind died in jail last month.
Accused hitman Jason Paul Hawkins, 47, of Canberra, and former high-ranking member of the Newcastle Nomads, 65-year-old Stephen John Garland, who detectives allege drove Mr Hawkins to and from Stockton on the night of Mrs Klimovitch's death, appeared in NSW Supreme Court on Friday.
Mr Hawkins pleaded not guilty to murder, while Mr Garland pleaded not guilty to murder and being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Both men will face a trial in Newcastle Supreme Court in October.
But they will not be joined by the alleged mastermind, Stuart Daniel Campbell, 30, who died in Long Bay Correctional Centre on March 8, only hours before he was expected to appear in court and enter a plea.
Strike Force Backhouse detectives allege Mr Campbell hired Mr Hawkins to kill Mrs Klimovitch, who was the mother of Mr Campbell's ex-partner.
Police allege Mr Campbell's relationship with his ex had soured and they had separated in the months before their son was born.
Mr Campbell and Mrs Klimovitch had a "mutual hatred" for each other, detectives allege, and the genesis for the alleged plot to kill Mrs Klimovitch stemmed from a confrontation at a house at Argenton in March shortly after the baby was born.
Mr Campbell's ex later moved in with her mother in Queen Street, Stockton and detectives allege Mr Campbell began orchestrating a plot to have Mrs Klimovitch killed.
On June 5, 2021, he allegedly drove from Canberra to Argenton with Mr Hawkins before the pair met up with Mr Garland.
Detectives allege the three men remained in contact and on June 9, Mr Garland allegedly drove Mr Hawkins from a house at Heddon Greta to Stockton and parked in Crown Street.
Mr Hawkins was allegedly wearing gloves and full-length clothing when he knocked on the front door of Mrs Klimovitch's house and called out "Stacey".
When Mrs Klimovitch opened the wooden door she was shot in the chest with a 12 gauge shotgun through the screen door.
Despite her daughter's desperate attempts to provide first aid, the 61-year-old died a short time later.
Mr Hawkins allegedly fled through backyards to the waiting vehicle, which was driven back to Argenton.
Lifeline: 13 11 14.
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