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David Nadi Lamie Moussa: Accused murderer drove across country before killing WA dad

WA Police stopped a psychotic accused murderer driving across the Nullarbor from Queensland and noticed a knife inside his car before he continued his path towards brutally stabbing his father to death last year. The shocking movements of David Nadi Lamie Moussa and the interaction he had with WA Police before he allegedly killed his dad Nadi Moussa, 72, and caused grievous bodily harm to his step-mother Theresa Awad Soliman Salama, 52, was revealed during a hearing in the WA Supreme Court on Monday. Mr Moussa’s defence counsel, Antoinette Fedele, told the court her client was driving “across the Nullarbor for several days” and that he stayed in a motel prior to the alleged murder and grievous bodily harm offences on February 4 last year. Ms Fedele said her client, aged 31 at the time, was stopped by police in his vehicle due to his “manner of driving” and that officers “discussed (a) knife that was in the car” during his drive from Queensland to Perth. She added that her client asked his step-sister, then aged six, to leave his father’s home in an attempt at shielding her from the violence that unfolded next. The alleged murder and grievous bodily harm offences were graphically detailed in the statement of material facts published on Monday afternoon, which help form the basis of Justice Matthew Howard’s decision to grant a judge-alone trial. Ms Fedele told the court that a judge-alone trial would be “in the interest of justice” amid concerns a jury may have difficulty accepting psychiatric evidence when weighing up the facts of the case, including his lengthy journey across the Nullarbor. Justice Howard granted the application on Monday on the basis that a jury may not understand the complexities surrounding psychotic episodes and schizophrenia when reaching a verdict, which could prevent Mr Moussa from receiving a fair trial if his counsel wish to argue his level of criminal responsibility. Court documents reveal shocking facts of alleged murder According to court documents released by the WA Supreme Court on Monday, Mr Moussa arrived in Clarkson about 2.40am on January 31 after leaving Queensland days earlier. He parked his Mercedes car within walking distance of his father’s address, on Elsbury Approach, before walking to the front door allegedly armed with a “large Japanese kitchen knife”. He was captured on a doorbell footage from a neighbouring property walking past his dad’s home holding the knife. After sending text messages to a friend saying nobody was home — and while accusing his family and the government for “drugging” him as a child — Mr Moussa then parked his car in his dad’s garage on February 1. He then allegedly entered and remained inside the home, which was left unlocked, until the morning of February 4, when his father, step-mother and six-year-old step-sister returned from a holiday. About 6am that morning, the accused woke to hear his step-mother, Theresa Salama and her six-year-old daughter, in the kitchen area of the home before he confronted them. After claiming he was staying with the family for a week — and when the atmosphere seemed “initially cordial and normal” — Mr Moussa then advised his step-sister move outside. The court documents alleged Mr Moussa then “picked up the knife and pointed it to the deceased”. “The accused said ‘I remember when I was young. I remember things from when I was young. I never forget anything. I want to kill’.” The violence began in a struggle and ended with Nadi Moussa dying in the driveway. He was stabbed several times including to the heart. A shocking photo of the crime scene showed blood splattered across a white car parked in the driveway. During the horrifying ordeal, his step-mother, when trying to intervene, suffered a “laceration to her right hand, a laceration to her left forearm and a penetration wound to her abdomen”. A female neighbour of the victim called triple-0 after the six-year-old girl ran for help, saying “my brother hurt my dad”. Police were the first on scene before Mr Moussa was arrested. He was spotted by a senior constable with blood on his hands. “They arrested the accused at 6:30am who remained at the scene,” the documents said. “The accused was observed to be calm and quiet when put into the back of the police van.” Mr Moussa’s wife injured during the ordeal was from a second marriage. They both had the six-year-old daughter together. Police interviews detailed According to Mr Moussa’s electronic record of interview contained in the documents, he told police he willingly killed his father due to his belief that he’d been abused as a child. “I was surprised because they were home early,” Moussa recalled. “I talked to them and they were surprised I was there. I hugged the little one. “Everything was fine until they saw a knife on the bench. They were telling the little one not to be scared. “I locked the little one outside.” Mr Moussa then told his dad that he “remembered everything”. “I pulled out the knife. My father ran outside. I stabbed my father several times to make sure he was dead. I wanted him to die quickly as I didn’t want him to suffer. “I told him I was sorry as he lay on the ground, before he died.” He added his motivations behind the attack was because “researchers” urged him to kill his father and that drugs allowed him to speak with those same people. He claimed his dad, was part of a “molestation syndicate,” in which men drugged and abused him. A record of interview with the six-year-old witness was also included in the court documents, in which the young girl said Mr Moussa lured her outside with lollies before the attack occurred. “I hugged him (David). He said he had lollies for me outside in his car (in the garage),” she said. “There were no lollies, he was lying. He locked me outside. He said, ‘stay outside’ but I said that it’s cold. “They came outside. I saw mum and dad running and David come outside. “I saw dad get stabbed outside first, then mum. Mum and dad were saying ‘stop David, stop.” “I shouted for help, everyone came out and called 000. Then the police and ambulance came. She went to the next door neighbours and they drove me here (to interview).” Consultant psychiatrist report reveals ‘delusions’ before crime When referencing two psychiatric reports provided by consultant psychiatrist Dr Adam Brett, the documents published on Monday said Moussa had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and ADHD prior to the offending. They said a treating psychiatrist in Queensland had urged him to stop using marijuana and dexamphetamine amid concerns about psychosis. He had stopped taking both medications prior to the offending, but their prior use appeared to be “significant factors” in his development of psychosis. “The psychiatrist had told the accused to stop those medications and commenced him on the antipsychotic, risperidone.” “The psychiatrist had referred the accused to a local mental health service in Western Australia. “The accused’s mental impairment deprived him of the capacity to know that he ought not do the act. He believed that his life was in danger. He believed that if he did not kill his father, his father would kill him. “He believed that what he was doing was morally right. He believed that the government would give him a new identity and he would not go to prison.” On February 3, one day prior to the alleged offending, Mr Moussa had a telephone consult with his treating psychologist in which Mr Moussa discussed being in Perth. According to the clinical notes summarised in the court documents, Mr Moussa said he had recalled memories of his past abuse. “Denies homicidal or suicidal intent - says he’ll do this through the police,” the summarised notes said. “He had hit 2 kangaroos on the way over to Perth. “Isn’t taking dexamphetamine or cannabinoids - says he stopped this since . . . asked him to stop’. At 10.12pm that evening, Mr Moussa sent a text to the same psychiatrist saying “God help me Dr Bennett.” People from the Perth Arabic Christian Church community said Nadi Moussa had previously opened up his home to members of the community wanting to practise Christianity. Pastor Youssef Mikhail told The West it was comforting knowing that “brother Nadi” was now “with the Lord”. “We knew David as a child . . . as a church we are shocked.” he said. Mr Moussa has pleaded not guilty to the offences of murder, grievous bodily harm and aggravated home burglary and commit. The accused appeared in court in person on Monday, wearing dark track-pants, grey jumper and sandals. Prosecutor Kim Jennings did not oppose the application for a judge-alone trial, which is listed for April 28.

The West Australian exclusiveDavid Nadi Lamie Moussa: Accused murderer drove across country before killing WA dad

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David Nadi Lamie Moussa: Accused murderer drove across country before killing WA dad