Richard Cotic: Paul Zaghet freed on parole despite Geraldton man’s body still missing after fatal bludgeoning

One of the men convicted of murdering Geraldton man Richard Cotic has been released from prison on parole even though the victim’s body is still missing — authorities satisfied the killer had coughed up everything he knew about where it was hidden. Mr Cotic was murdered by John Wayne Hobby, Paul Zaghet and Steven Southam before he could give evidence as a Crown witness in a drug trial in 1996. Southam claimed Hobby had offered him $10,000 to kill Mr Cotic, before he and Zaghet bludgeoned him to death with a hammer to the head in a caravan after sharing heroin with the pair. Mr Cotic’s body has never been found. The Prisoners Review Board decided Zaghet, who was convicted of wilful murder and sentenced to life with a minimum-non parole period of 17 years, should be released on parole in May, after serving almost 26 years. Under WA’s no body, no parole laws — introduced in 2018 — those convicted of murder, manslaughter or infanticide cannot be given parole unless the Prisoners Review Board finds they have given satisfactory help to the police in finding the body of their victim. In Zaghet’s case, both police and the parole board were satisfied Zaghet did not know where Mr Cotic’s body was. In a 2017 letter to former judge Robert Cock, who was then the chairman of the Prisoners Review Board, former police commissioner Chris Dawson revealed Zaghet had admitted helping to put Mr Cotic’s body in Hobby’s car and disposing of key evidence. “Mr Zaghet assisted police in the recovery of those exhibits but was unable to assist in providing the disposal site of the victim,” Mr Dawson wrote. Southam also confessed to the murder shortly after his arrest and gave evidence for the prosecution. However, both men said they could not assist with the whereabouts of Mr Cotic’s body because Hobby was the one who disposed of it. “After careful examination of the evidence gathered by police during the investigation, and the evidence provided by Mr Southam and Mr Zaghet, the Western Australian Police Force is of the view that (both men) do not know the location of where the victim was disposed,” Mr Dawson said. The board came to the same view, telling The West Australian it was satisfied Zaghet and Southam had cooperated as much as possible with police. “Mr Hobby was found to have not satisfactorily cooperated with police in identifying the location of the remains of the deceased victim upon the board having regard to a report prepared by WA Police,” it said. Southam was also jailed for a 17-year minimum, while Hobby was given life with at least 25 years. Southam and Hobby remain behind bars. The Prisoners Review Board will next consider Southam for parole in December, while Hobby’s next parole hearing is in December 2024. Hobby unsuccessfully appealed his conviction all the way to the High Court. Meanwhile another cold-hearted killer, Wayne Robert Agnew, was also released to parole on the same day as Zaghet. Agnew was convicted of murdering the mother of his two children, Tania Williams, by shooting her in the head at point-blank range in their family home on December 17, 1999. Then aged 37, Agnew killed Ms Williams, from whom he had separated a few weeks earlier, after he confronted her to find out who her new boyfriend was. He was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years after a jury cleared him of wilful murder but convicted him of murder. The Prisoners Review Board revealed Agnew would be released to parole for three years, with several conditions including not to contact any members of Ms William’s family. Agnew must also not apply for, acquire, or hold a license to possess any firearm, ammunition or any other “offensive or prohibited weapon, replica or dangerous article” without permission from the Prisoners Review Board.