In the ongoing cold case murder trial of Irma Palasics, a forensic pathologist has testified before the ACT Supreme Court that it is impossible to determine a precise cause of death for the 73-year-old woman. Irma Palasics was severely injured in a violent incident at her home in Canberra in 1999. The accused, Steve Fabriczy and Joseph Vekony, are facing charges of murder and are alleged to have attacked and robbed her and her husband, Gregor, of $30,000.

During the trial, Professor Johan Duflou, a forensic pathologist, provided crucial evidence shedding light on the difficulties in establishing a definitive cause of death, notably due to the multiple blunt force injuries sustained by Ms. Palasics. The case is further complicated by the fact that the pathologist who conducted the original autopsy has passed away, leaving gaps in the evidence that the court is currently addressing.

As the trial continues, the next phase will involve the testimony of the police officer who was in charge of the case on the night of the incident. The inability to ascertain a clear cause of death may have significant implications for the prosecution’s case against Fabriczy and Vekony, who maintain their innocence in the high-profile case that has remained unresolved for more than two decades.