Witness quizzed over kill motive

JYE Burns danced around in the back seat of a car as he was driven to Beerwah with the man who would allegedly shoot him dead minutes later.

The third man in the car, the driver, Shane Moroney, said he saw Shane “Capper” Oulds shoot Mr Burns after the pair left his car on Old Caloundra Rd, apparently “to do a pee”.

Yesterday Mr Moroney told Maroochydore Magistrates Court he and the two others were on their way to a drug dealer’s house at Beerwah that Mr Oulds had said they would rob for $100,000.

However, plans changed and when Mr Moroney’s passengers left the car he said he saw Mr Oulds shoot Mr Burns.

Mr Moroney said Mr Oulds claimed to have shot Mr Burns after he threatened his family.

Mr Burns also allegedly claimed to be planning a “home invasion” on Mr Moroney.

Mr Moroney said Mr Oulds got back in the car and told him: “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

Under heavy police guard, Mr Moroney took to the stand for a second day of giving evidence at the murder committal of Mr Oulds.

Mr Moroney is the key witness in the case as the only person to see the alleged murder on July 8 last year.

He was quizzed about why he was “unable to provide (police) with any motive” for why Mr Oulds killed Mr Burns when he was first interviewed three days after the man’s death.

Mr Moroney did not tell police the explanation he received from Mr Oulds until he gave a second statement on July 21.

He said he did not ask Mr Oulds more details about why he had shot Mr Burns because he was frightened.

Mr Moroney said he did not stop Mr Oulds from throwing his mobile phone into Maroochy River with the alleged murder weapon because he was “scared” of his friend and also of having any evidence that could implicate him in a murder.

The pair drove to a car wash where Mr Oulds used a hydraulic hose to wash dirt and dust off the vehicle before they continued to a nightclub at Mooloolaba where Mr Oulds allegedly said they had to be seen on CCTV cameras.

Mr Moroney eventually left the club by himself, but not until after Mr Oulds disposed of a coat in a rubbish bin outside.

He said he had driven only about a kilometre when he was pulled over by a police car, which he feared had stopped him in relation to the alleged murder.

His heart pounded as police walked to his car and he quickly weighed up if he would tell the officers he had just seen an alleged execution-style murder hours earlier.

Police had stopped him for a random breath test, which had a negative result.

Mr Moroney said he also lied to police the following morning when he signed a statement saying his mobile phone had been stolen, a story he fabricated to claim insurance for the missing phone.

He was later arrested for the murder but was given indemnity after he gave police a statement saying Mr Oulds had shot Mr Burns.

The committal continues today. Mr Moroney is expected to continue with his evidence.