A housewife in the small Australian town of Wallape has gained notoriety after being convicted on Monday of her husband’s murder. According to Australian authorities, Rebecca Payne murdered her late husband by feeding him poisoned biscuits because she was tired of the abuse she received from him; The events took place in 2020, but on May 22, 2023, her attorneys called on the judge in the case to consider “having mercy” with the woman.
The woman’s defense repeatedly reiterated that Rebecca was a victim of family violence, as her husband Noel Payne had physically, financially, sexually and emotionally assaulted her; Since he also forced her to get his name tattooed all over her body. With these arguments, the relatives and friends of the accused asked the judge to have mercy on him as he had suffered “indescribable acts of violence”.
However, Rebecca Payne was found guilty of murder by a jury and this Monday her lawyers have urged the judge to show mercy when sentencing. Even residents of Walpepe have called for clemency for the woman, whom they have classified as a “heroine” for having the courage to confront her assailant. In this regard, Rebecca’s children commented that their mother lived in hell for more than 14 years and now they (her children) needed her as well as the community.
Rebecca killed her husband with poisoned cookies
According to testimony from neighbors and friends of the couple, Rebecca was the victim of a violent relationship, which often led to the sounds of blows being heard inside the home and the accused being seen with blows to her face and body. Furthermore, he remarked that Noel lived with his wife and another woman, whom he took home without consulting Rebecca.
Tired of the abuse and violence, on September 1, 2020, Rebecca bakes a large batch of Lemon Cookies and crushes some temazepam pills; Later, he used the powder to glaze a cookie and served it to Noel with a cup of milk. After consuming the deadly mixture, the man did not wake up again and his wife decided to cover his body with a sheet and store it in a freezer.
A few days after the crime, Rebecca pulled the freezer into a neighbor’s backyard, and shortly after a resident opened the lid, called the police, and the woman was arrested. After being arrested, she admitted to involuntary manslaughter and said that she had not intended to kill her husband, assuring that she only wanted to knock him unconscious, but the jury did not believe her and found her guilty of murder. for which he faced a prison sentence.
