An "inept" murderer who was tracked down because he wrapped his victim's body in plastic that had his name on it, has been sentenced to life in jail, for a crime described by the judge as "truly shocking."
Todd Nathan Kiernan, with the help of his friend, Gervaise Widdowson, attacked 51-year-old Dinh Lam Nguyen with a knife at Kiernan's home in Mahogany Creek, east of Perth, in January 2021.
The two then tied up the body with cable ties before wrapping it in pink plastic and putting it in a wheelie bin.
It was then dumped, with a tree branch and a bag of cement attached to try weigh it down, in a dam in the John Forrest National Park.
Plastic labelled with Kiernan's name
However, the bin floated to the surface and a few days later, a teenage boy discovered Mr Nguyen's body.
Police found Kiernan because the pink plastic had a label with his name on it, and there was also rubbish at the bottom of the bin, that included letters addressed to him.
Kiernan stood trial in the Supreme Court on a charge of murder, with prosecutors arguing the 30-year-old stabbed Mr Nguyen to get rid of a $4,000 drug debt he owed him.
Kiernan denied the allegation and testified that the stabbing happened in self-defence, because Mr Nguyen had attacked him first.
The jury rejected his claims and found him guilty.
Body disposal attempt 'inept and unsophisticated'
Justice Stephen Hall described Kiernan's actions as "unprovoked" saying he, and not Mr Nguyen, had been the aggressor.
However, Justice Hall said he was not satisfied the murder had been premeditated, labelling the attempts to dispose of Mr Nguyen's body as "inept and unsophisticated".
"They bore all the hallmarks of crisis management," the judge said.
Justice Hall said Kiernan's motive was to avoid the payment of a drug debt.
"That you would kill for only $4,000 is an indication of your desperation and also your complete lack of principle," Justice Hall told him.
"To take a life for such a small amount of money is truly shocking."
Justice Hall imposed a life jail term on Kiernan with an order he serve 19 years before he can be released on parole.
Kiernan also pleaded guilty to a charge of arson for destroying Mr Nguyen's car.
Justice Hall sentenced him to four years jail for that offence, but the term will be served at the same time as the life sentence.
Widdowson, who stood trial with Kiernan and was also found guilty of murder, will be sentenced in February.
