WA News

Four found guilty in Perth body-in-boot murder case

Four people have been found guilty of murdering a father-of-one whose body was found in his burnt-out car in Perth's southeast on Good Friday last year.

Travis Bennjamin Mills, 30, was beaten with a baseball bat in his Seville Grove home then taken in the boot of his car to a vacant lot, where it was set ablaze - burning him to death while he was alive.

Travis Mills with his daughter Ruby.
Travis Mills with his daughter Ruby. 

His partner Seleena Monique Ruthsalz and her mother Joanne Christine Ruthsalz are among four people who went on trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, charged with his murder.

Justine Claire Campbell - who bought methylamphetamine from Joanne, sold her cannabis and played a central role in arranging the murder - pleaded guilty before the trial commenced.

Her husband Darren Graeme Campbell and her old friend Darryl Raymond Newton carried out the attack when Mr Mills was home alone building a trampoline.

It was a birthday gift for his daughter Ruby, who turned one the next day.

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Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo told the court during opening submissions that the motive for murdering Mr Mills might never be known, but he and Joanne loathed each other.

He didn't like Ruby being taken to her house because she dealt drugs including heroin, while Seleena manipulated Justine - who had previously been in an abusive relationship - by claiming that she feared him.

Seleena suggested he planned to take Ruby and move to Queensland, but that was nonsense, Ms Barbagallo said.

The court heard Seleena and her mother cleaned up Mr Mills' blood at the Seville Grove house.

Seleena cried as the verdict was delivered.

All five will be sentenced in November.

- AAP