Teenagers committed to stand trial over murder of pool manager

Two teenagers accused of murdering Rick Berry, a swimming pool manager at Yuendumu, 300 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs, have been committed to stand trial.

A recent committal hearing in Alice Springs Magistrates Court heard one of the accused lived with the 53-year-old victim and saw him as a father figure.

Berry had worked for the Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation since 2010, managing the swimming pool at Yuendumu.

He was a former swim coach in Melbourne and following his death was remembered as someone much-loved in the community.

Berry's body was discovered in the bathroom of his Yuendumu home on 29th January this year, after he failed to appear for work and his car was found burnt-out on the edge of the Tanami Desert.

Crown prosecutor Stephen Robson told the hearing that both defendants, which included a 16-year-old and Nelson Inkamala, aged 18, had been seen drinking together on the afternoon of 28th January.

The court was told that the pair are alleged to have decided to steal from Berry and bludgeoned him to death using a wooden stake and a shovel.

The crown alleged the 16-year-old then tried to strangle the man with an electrical cord.

Robson told the Court the pair stole beer, a television, a mobile phone and camera from Berry's home before unsuccessfully trying to burn the house down.

They then fled in Berry's ute before setting it on fire where it was later discovered west of Tilmouth Wells on the Tanami Road.

The Court heard the pair hitched a ride into Alice Springs to see family and allegedly tried to sell a relative a camera.

The Court was told a relative overheard one of the pair saying they had "done something big" and "hit one bloke" and turned them into police after hearing of Rick Berry's murder.

Robson told the Court Inkamala denied assaulting Berry and had told police he saw his co-accused bash and strangle the victim.

The 16-year-old - who can't be named for legal reasons - refuted the claim and said it was Inkamala who killed Berry.

The court also heard forensic evidence to try and determine whether both men or just one should stand trial for Berry's murder.

Image: Rick Berry managed the pool in Yuendumu. Image courtesy of Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation. 

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