GEOFFREY Hancock's unease began when he noticed the open septic pit on his Wilkin farm had been mysteriously filled in during the night of July 23, 2007.
Mr Hancock told the Glenys Heyward murder trial jury how his anxiety grew alarmingly five days later, when Ms Heyward was declared a missing person, and that he became "absolutely petrified" when Neil Heyward confirmed his worst fears on August 6, 2007.
"He called me over to the shed and I think he said something like "can you keep a secret"," Mr Hancock said. "He said she (Glenys) was down in the pit."
"I said get her out and he said "stay away from the pit" . . . then he didn't say anything and left," Mr Hancock said. He was giving evidence in the Supreme Court murder trial of Ms Heyward's youngest son Matthew Heyward, 22, and former farmhand Jeremy Adam Minter, 28.
Prosecutors alleged Matthew Heyward used his mother's trust to lure her to a vacant Pick Ave house where his father and Minter were waiting to abduct and assault her.
Mr Hancock yesterday explained why he kept the whereabouts of Ms Heyward's body a secret for more than three months until November 25, 2007.
He also admitted not telling police the full story in three interviews until he was granted immunity from prosecution in May 2008.
The court heard that immunity did not extend to the offences of murder or perjury.
Mr Hancock said that seven weeks after the murder, Neil Heyward had told him a wheelie bin - allegedly used to transport the bound and gagged Glenys to Wilkin - was at his farm.
Mr Hancock said he failed to go to police because "I knew the gravity of the situation I was in, basically". "I believed that (Neil) had arranged and started setting me up for the murder of Glenys Heyward," he said.
"You can't believe you can get in so much trouble for not doing anything at all."
Mr Hancock told the court that on the day of the murder, Neil Heyward had asked to borrow a blue trailer to get rid of "some rubbish" at his Wilkin property as well as use of his Pick Ave house and his white Nissan traytop ute - but did not say why.
Under cross examination by Minter's lawyer Nick Vadasz, Mr Hancock said he had never heard Neil Heyward express animosity towards his estranged wife and that he had never asked him about "getting rid of her". "No? You'd be one of the few in Mt Gambier," Mr Vadasz replied.
The jury also heard that Glenys Heyward was in a buoyant mood in the final hours leading up to her alleged abduction.
Domestic violence social worker Rachael Barrett told the court of an appointment with Ms Heyward at 3.20pm on the day she died.
Ms Barrett said Ms Heyward was "much more relaxed" than in two previous appointments and that she complimented Glenys on her appearance.
"She said she was going to be spending time with her son . . . she was really excited about that," Ms Barrett said.
Jeanette Matthews told the jury how her younger sister appeared "quite relaxed and happy" when she appeared carrying a bunch of flowers at Mt Gambier Hospital, where their mother Isobel Childs was recovering from surgery.
"She said she was going to stay with her son Matthew and was going to be able to tell her side of the story as to why she split up with his father," Mrs Matthews said.
At around the time Glenys Heyward was wishing her mother and sister goodbye for what was the last time, Neil Heyward was involved in a strange encounter with an old acquaintance on Mt Gambier's main street, the court heard.
Rex Merrett told the jury he thought "crikey, what's going on here?" when a tearful Neil Heyward approached him, shook his hand and hugged him.
"He said to me `don't be embarassed' . . . he looked me in the face, there was tears rolling down his face and he said `Rex, whatever happens will be because I want it to'," Mr Merrett said.
Mr Merrett said he realised the chance encounter was on the day Ms Heyward was last seen when his wife saw a news report of her disappearance on Saturday, July 28, 2007.
Ms Heyward's new partner Chris Sigston - who reported her missing to police - told the jury he spoke to Glenys at 7pm - about an hour before her alleged abduction - and that she was in good spirits and passed on thanks from Matthew for Coorong mullet Mr Sigston had sent him for dinner that night.
Mr Sigston said he became concerned when Ms Heyward failed to return to his Willalooka home on the night of July 24 and had driven to various locations to try and find her.
The jury heard Glenys Heyward told Mr Sigston that she remained close to Matthew Heyward but was estranged from elder son Thomas - who was originally also charged with the murder but walked free when a magistrate ruled there was insufficient evidence against him.
"She said that she'd lost Thomas... but she was still very hopeful that her and Matthew could remain friends," Mr Sigston said. The trial continues.
