According to reports, it was Simona who rang 000 alerting the police by saying an intruder might have trespassed in their home at The Gap. Within days of the incident, investigations revealed probable cause and the police charged Simona with the murder of her mother Radica.

Simona’s Statements in Court Denies She Killed Her Mum

During the initial court hearings, 20-year-old Simona was adamant in relating to the court how she woke up in fear to the sound of an intruder in the house on the eve of her mum’s murder. “There was a thumping sound like a heavy footstep on the wooden floor in the hallway. I had the doona over my head but I could hear muffled voices or murmuring,” she said.

“I saw a red sensor light flashing which indicated to me that someone was very close to the outside of my bedroom door. I was too scared to open the door or call out to my mum. I called 000 for help,” she continued in one of her statements.

Circumstantial Evidence Contradicts Simona’s Statements

Crown Prosecutor Matthew Hynes related the killing to the court saying, “It was a pretty gruesome murder.” According to Mr Hynes, Simona’s comments to the police hours after the killing could very well be seen as “lies” proving “consciousness of guilt.”

In his statements in court, Mr Hynes explained how the police were wary of Simona during investigations on the circumstances surrounding the killing. The time when the police arrived at the crime scene and the manner by which they saw her were particularly suspicious. According to them, everything seemed to be “staged.” The police found the front door ajar while the daughter of the deceased reportedly looked “immaculate.” For someone who claimed to have just woken up, Simona’s hair appeared to be well done, police reports said.

The murder weapon, a floorboard, was reportedly found “hidden behind a shelf in her bedroom.” DNA evidence was absent either on Simona or the said weapon. Hence, no plea of guilt was entered by the accused 20-year-old university student.

As to the lack of DNA evidence on her, Mr Hynes said that she “might have had time to clean her hands” since her mother may have been murdered the night before. After all, the murder weapon was found well hidden in her bedroom.

Justice Martin Daubney, on his part, was reportedly unconvinced that the accused was asleep during her mother’s killing, as well as when the intruder entered her bedroom to hide the murder weapon. Justice Daubney denied Simona’s recent application for bail on the ground that she is a “flight risk.”

Simona’s Original Plans of Leaving Brisbane for Macedonia

Simona, who technically grew up in Macedonia, holds a dual passport. Her Macedonian passport is currently in police custody. “She could apply to the Macedonian embassy for another passport and may get one if they are not alerted to the fact that she should not be allowed to obtain one,” Mr Hynes said.

According to Justice Daubney, the evidence on record revealed that, seven days prior to the death of her mum, the 20-year-old accused spoke to a certain bank about wanting to obtain a “significant” loan in the amount of $275,000. It was said that she would use the money to go to Macedonia because she needs “to look after someone.”

Aside from talking to a bank, it appeared that Simona “also inquired about a flight” and even made tentative flight bookings. As if by an odd coincidence, the departure dates on her tentative bookings were the exact day of her mum’s violent death.

During preliminary investigations at the crime scene, the police had talked to neighbour Jack Randall. He told them there sounded like arguments at the Zafirovska house early that morning. “It just sounded like murmuring of two people having a really slight minor argument, not too big, nothing that would lead to a killing, I mean that’s tragic,” Mr Randall said. He added that he heard it between 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. but that he could not make out the words as to what it was about since he had his headphones in.

When asked in court as to the matter, however, Simona explained in refute, “I had a good relationship with my mother prior to her passing. We never had any arguments, however, due to our Macedonian heritage, we are very loud talkers.”

Simona Points to A Possible Suspect

The young accused, who has not yet entered a plea, once told the court how another person could have a more credible motive to kill her mum. According to her, a man named “Jack” had “pulled a gun on her” mum in April and May while they were in Macedonia last year. Simona believed that her mum and Ljupche “Jack” Neshovska had a rocky relationship. The two married in 2012 but their relationship appeared to have ended in August although they did not file for divorce.

In a recent interview with other members of the media, however, Mr Neshovska heavily denied Simona’s allegations against him. He claimed his relationship with Radica was not volatile and there was never an instance when he “put a gun to Radica’s head.”

“That was not true, I do not own a gun. I don’t know why she would say that. My culture does not allow me to do something like that,” Mr Neshovska said. According to him, he was in Macedonia at the time of Radica’s killing. Moreover, he also claimed that he and Radica were chatting via the Viber mobile app until 2:40 a.m. on the day she was killed.

Motive for Killing Still Unknown

Up to this day, the reason behind the Radica Zafirovska death remains a mystery. The circumstantial case against Simona is undoubtedly heavy. For the sake of due process, however, the court is considering further investigations and hearings. A lot of possibilities and angles are still being looked into in the case. If Simona indeed bludgeoned her own mum to death, what could have caused her to do so? On the other hand, if she did not do it, then who did, and why? Despite the additional details revealed in court to show probable cause, a lot of questions still remain to be answered.

Photo Credit: 9 News Queensland/Facebook

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