Jury finds woman and alleged lover guilty of murdering husband

A jury has found Adelaide man Steven Hinrichsen’s wife, Tanya, and her alleged lover guilty of his murder at his home in 2018.

The Adelaide Supreme Court had previously heard 43-year-old Tanya Hinrichsen and 46-year-old Gavin Scott Skinner had conspired to kill Mr Hinrichsen because “he was in the way”.

Their friend, 47-year-old Robert John Thrupp, was also charged with the murder of the 63-year-old grandfather, but the jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Mr Hinrichsen, who used a wheelchair, was found stabbed to death at his Morphett Vale home in December 2018.

‘Killing was personal’

Prosecutor Carmen Matteo had previously told the court the victim had been stabbed to death by a person or people who did not have to force entry into his premises.

She said the “person or persons” responsible had “such venom for this man that they left a smashed photograph of him on top of his bleeding mangled body“.

“That is a gesture which the prosecution says tells you that this killing was personal,” Ms Matteo said.

“It was angry and it was personal.

“The prosecution case is that the physical killing of Steven Hinrichsen was done by Gavin Skinner, assisted by his friend, the third defendant, Robert Thrupp.”

Ms Matteo said the prosecution would argue the murder had been “wanted, agreed and planned” because Mr Hinrichsen was in the way of his wife’s love affair with Mr Skinner.

The jury was told evidence suggested that Mr Hinrichsen was not accepting of his wife’s new lover after she had made it known to him she had been in a relationship with Mr Skinner.

It heard that Mr Hinrichsen, who required full-time care, presented an inconvenience to their relationship.

The jury was told Ms Hinrichsen had asked her husband if Mr Skinner could sleep with her in the bed of their marital home, but he said no.

Court told of previous assaults

The jury also heard that in the lead-up to Mr Hinrichsen’s death, Mr Skinner had allegedly assaulted him twice.

In one instance, Mr Skinner had bashed Mr Hinrichsen at his home, the court was told.

One text message from Ms Hinrichsen to Mr Skinner was read to the court and revealed: “He’s alive but has a bruised cheek.”

The court heard Mr Skinner’s response via text message was “I should’ve just killed the f***ing c***”.

The court heard that audio files revealed an altercation between Mr Hinrichsen, his wife and Mr Skinner where Mr Skinner can be heard saying: “I’ll f***ing stab him right in the neck, I don’t give a f***”.

Defence argued ‘no evidence’ Ms Hinrichsen was involved

Ms Hinrichsen’s barrister Grant Algie QC had argued the text messages were not evidence she was a party to a plot to kill her husband.

He described her replies as consistent with her way of placating her belligerent new boyfriend, “engaging in a mechanism of agreement” while “never intending to do it”.

He also suggested Ms Hinrichsen’s call to an insurance company to ask about her husband’s accidental death policy was “a non-event”, saying it was clear insurance would not be paid if the person insured was murdered.

Mr Algie also said there was no evidence Ms Hinrichsen was involved in the murder of her husband after she had removed clothes and other belongings from their shared home the night he was killed.

She had gone to sleep on a couch at Mr Thrupp’s home and found her husband’s body when she returned the next morning, Mr Algie said.

The trio will be sentenced later this year, with their next court appearance scheduled for the end of August.