Accused of three cold-case murders in South Australia, Steven Leslie Hainsworth allegedly targeted vulnerable individuals, committing violent and deliberate acts to obtain valuables for his drug habit. Facing trial in the SA Supreme Court for the murders of Phyllis Harrison, Beverley Hanley, and Stephen Newton, Hainsworth pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The prosecution claims that each victim was known to Hainsworth, lived nearby, and was killed in their own home, with evidence of property being searched or missing. Mrs. Harrison was stabbed, Ms. Hanley suffered blunt force trauma, and Mr. Newton was punched to death.
Despite the murders occurring over a 13-year period, the prosecution argues that the proximity of the victims to the accused and the search for valuables suggest a deliberate pattern of behavior. The trial is expected to last up to three months before Justice Adam Kimber.