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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Sam Rigney

'What the f--- did you do that for?': key witness gives evidence in murder trial

From left, alleged murder victim David King, Elijah Cage and Tyson Stamp ... Cage and Stamp have pleaded not guilty to murdering King at Salt Ash in 2021.

A WOMAN who facilitated a drug deal that ended with Tanilba Bay ice supplier David King being shot in the head claims she saw one man get out of his car covered in blood and another holding a gun, a jury has heard.

Mr King, 45, was killed when he was shot once at close range in the back of the head with a shortened shotgun while allegedly trying to flee a "drug rip" in Hideaway Drive at Salt Ash on August 29, 2021.

The three men - Elijah Cage, Max Lowcock and Tyson Stamp - have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr King and kidnapping the woman who witnessed the shooting and are facing an estimated eight-week trial in Newcastle Supreme Court.

It is the prosecution case that Mr King was shot by either Mr Cage or Mr Lowcock, who were in the car with him at the time he was gunned down, while Mr Stamp was waiting nearby in a hired Hyundai Santa Fe.

David King was shot dead in his car in Hideaway Drive at Salt Ash in August, 2021. Three men - Elijah Cage, Max Lowcock and Tyson Stamp - are facing a murder trial in Newcastle Supreme Court.

The trio are accused of conspiring to rob Mr King, a mid-level methamphetamine dealer, and allegedly used the woman as an intermediary because she had a close friendship with Mr King and could "open the door" and get him to "let his guard down", Crown prosecutor Liam Shaw has said.

But Mr Shaw said the trio did not go to Salt Ash with the intention of shooting Mr King, instead intending to rob him while armed with the shortened shotgun.

Mr Shaw has said it was the prosecution case that the three men were guilty of murder based on an extended joint criminal enterprise; that there was an agreement to rob Mr King with a loaded firearm and the men foresaw the possibility that Mr King would be shot and killed with at least an intention to cause grievous bodily harm.

The woman who facilitated the drug deal, witnessed the lead-up to the shooting and was then allegedly kidnapped began giving evidence on Monday, telling the jury she was contacted separately by both Mr Lowcock and Mr Cage on the morning of August 29.

Elijah Cage has pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping over the shooting death of David King in Hideaway Drive at Salt Ash on August 29, 2021.

She said Mr Cage wanted to buy a quarter of an ounce of methamphetamine and she contacted Mr King to be the supplier.

She did not tell Mr Cage who he would be buying from and Mr Cage later upped the quantity to half an ounce of ice, the woman said.

After acting as a go-between for the two men, the woman said she raced to Salt Ash to find Mr Cage sitting in the back of Mr King's vehicle.

The pair negotiated a price and Mr Cage said he wanted to try the drug before Mr King suggested they drive around to the more secluded Hideaway Drive to complete the deal.

The woman claimed all three men and Mr King were in Mr King's car when the trio suddenly got out with the package of drugs and walked back to their car.

The woman said she asked Mr Cage "where's the money?" and he replied "I'm just going to the car to get it, you dickhead".

She said she thought Mr Cage was retrieving cash from the Santa Fe, but then he tasered her.

"After that he was like, "I'll just rob him for everything then" and he's just charged past me and he's jumped straight into the passenger seat and started demanding the drugs off David King," the woman said.

Tyson Stamp has pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping over the shooting death of David King in Hideaway Drive at Salt Ash on August 29, 2021.

The woman claimed Mr King was complying but she started making a "massive scene" in a bid to stop Mr Cage from robbing Mr King, before Mr Cage kicked her in the stomach and shut the car door.

She claims she then saw Mr King's car take off and Mr Lowcock jump into the back seat before she heard a "massive bang" and the car crashed into a tree.

"It was like everything froze to me," the woman said. "Everything was spinning. When the car has gone into the tree, all the alarms were going off and I ran over towards the vehicle and I seen Elijah get out of the car and he had blood all through his hair, all over him."

The woman said she could see Mr King had been shot and claims Mr Cage dragged her towards the Santa Fe.

"While I was getting dragged back towards the car... I noticed Max and he's ran towards me and Elijah and I seen him carrying the gun," the woman said.

The woman claims she was forced into the Santa Fe and driven from the scene with the three men. She claims she had a shirt put over her head and was repeatedly told to "shut the f--- up" or they would shoot her.

The woman claims she was driven back to Raymond Terrace, where they changed cars and Mr Stamp went to torch the Santa Fe.

She claims during the journey Mr Cage said to Mr Lowcock "What the f--- did you do that for?"

She said she was eventually dropped off at home.

The trial continues.

Police investigating the shooting of David King at Salt Ash in August, 2019. Three men - Elijah Cage, Max Lowcock and Tyson Stamp - are facing a murder trial in Newcastle Supreme Court. Picture by Marina Neil
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