A rapper has been identified as the man accused of killing a young woman who contacted police about domestic violence just 10 days before she was allegedly strangled.
Djuarn Baker-Adams, 27, was found unresponsive by emergency services in the bedroom of a Slacks Creek property near Logan, south of Brisbane, in the early hours of Wednesday. She died at the scene.
Ronald Cora, 37, who performs under the stage name MC Triks, is understood to have made the Triple Zero call.
Cora was charged with murder (domestic violence) later that day.
Detectives confirmed Ms Baker-Adams had recently been in contact with police about safety and domestic violence concerns, and that a temporary protection order had been issued to protect her.
‘From our preliminary investigations, I would suggest that at one point they were in a relationship,’ Detective Inspector Ian Galpin told reporters on Wednesday.
‘The reason she was at that particular location is still under investigation but it will certainly form part of our investigation.
‘What I can tell you is that within the last 10 days, police did have contact with this woman in relation to domestic and family violence related issues.
Rapper Ronald Cora is due to appear in court on Thursday after he was charged with murder
Police bodycam footage showed an officer approaching Cora, who was sitting calmly on the front steps of his home prior to his arrest
Ronald Cora is a hip hop rapper who goes by the stage name MC Triks
‘Having reviewed the investigation thus far, I am satisfied that police took the appropriate actions, that support had been offered to this woman as well and that other support services had been engaged.’
The status of the relationship between Ms Baker-Adams and Cora has not been revealed by police.
Cora has been involved in Brisbane’s hip hop scene for several years under the name MC Triks. He has thousands of followers on social media.
Cora has also previously performed at Invasion Day protests.
A State Library of Queensland social media post from 2017 stated that Cora ‘began songwriting as a contemporary healing process in response to racism’.
Bodycam footage released by Queensland Police on Wednesday showed Cora sitting on the front steps of the home as officers moved in.
He could be seen speaking calmly to police before standing and placing his hands behind his back to be handcuffed.
Cora is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Cora (pictured) was charged in relation to the death of Djuarn Baker-Adams, who was found unresponsive in the bedroom of a Slacks Creek property near Logan on Wednesday
Homicide detectives and forensic officers pictured at the Slacks Creek home
Homicide detectives and forensic officers remained at the cordoned-off home for much of Wednesday.
‘This investigation is in its very early stages and we currently have a team of detectives from the Logan criminal investigation branch and the homicide investigation unit working tirelessly now to identify the circumstances leading up to this woman’s death,’ Det Insp Galpin said.
‘Our preliminary investigations would suggest this woman died of asphyxiation.’
Police are now waiting on the post-mortem results to determine the exact cause of death.
Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie described Ms Baker-Adams’ death as a tragedy.
‘You just can’t possibly begin to imagine what the family’s going through,’ he told reporters.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at the moment.’
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Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491
