A man accused of murdering his friend with a machete in an empty house in Melbourne allegedly struck him at least 39 times, the Victorian Supreme Court has heard.
Christopher Reyes Gonzaga, 45, is on trial over the death of Gregory Tan, also 45, at a property in Deer Park in the early hours of 15 April 2024. He denies murder and has previously told police he acted in self-defence after Tan threatened him with a screwdriver.
Prosecutor Penelope Thorp told jurors that Tan suffered severe injuries to his jugular and carotid artery, as well as his skull. One wound ran from his left ear to his mouth, while part of his right hand was severed in what prosecutors say was an attempt to defend himself.
“(Tan) tried to defend himself while the accused was striking him in the head with the machete,” Ms Thorp said in her opening address.
The jury was shown CCTV footage and heard recordings of shouting and heavy thumping from the house, which prosecutors said echoed through the quiet suburban neighbourhood.
Gonzaga and Tan had been friends for some time, and witnesses reportedly saw them taking drugs together on several occasions, the court heard. Tan lived next door with his brother, both of their partners and another friend.
Prosecutors allege Gonzaga started two fires inside the empty property after the attack, then left and discarded the machete in a drain. He later called Triple-0 to report the fire and was arrested.
The court heard that, before his arrest, CCTV captured Gonzaga crouching behind a car in a driveway. Ms Thorp alleged he had no facial injuries at that point, and that a gash on his forehead was inflicted by himself shortly before police took him into custody.
While in custody, Gonzaga admitted stabbing Tan, the court was told, but claimed that Tan and others had killed the previous resident of the house by overdosing her while attempting to rob her.
“There’s a guy there who’s also cut,” Gonzaga told police, according to evidence given on Monday. “Unfortunately, I made friends with the wrong people.”
Gonzaga’s barrister, John Lavery, is due to address the jury when the trial resumes on Tuesday morning.
