Qld: Jealous arsonist found guilty of murdering own son

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2007
Qld: Jealous arsonist found guilty of murdering own son

By Christine Flatley

BRISBANE, Dec 7 AAP - A man who deliberately lit a house fire which killed three people,
including his own son and his former partner, has been found guilty of murder.

A Supreme Court jury took just one day to find Errol Graham Hayes guilty of three counts
of murder and one count of arson.

Hayes will be sentenced at a later date, but is facing life in jail, the automatic
sentence for murder in in Queensland.

During the trial the Brisbane court was told Hayes, a regular drug user, set fire to
a wooden Queenslander-style house in the southern Brisbane suburb of Annerley in the early
hours of February 20.

Hayes' 18-month-old son Joshua and former partner Theresa Dominique Marchetti perished
in the blaze, which destroyed the wooden home.

A third occupant of the house, Mark Stewart Christensen, 39, also died during the fire.

The court was told Hayes had started the fire in a jealous rage because he suspected
Ms Marchetti had been unfaithful with Mr Christensen.

Prosecutor Ross Martin, SC, told the court Hayes and Ms Marchetti had been arguing
constantly in the week leading up to the fire.

During one argument Mr Martin said Hayes had told Ms Marchetti that she would "burn alive".

A witness testified Hayes had later made his way to the house where the trio were sleeping
and lit the fire.

The witness told the court Hayes had later said he only meant to start a small blaze
that would frighten Ms Marchetti and Mr Christensen.

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KEYWORD: HAYES

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