An Australind woman accused of murdering her former boyfriend has been found guilty of manslaughter in Bunbury’s Supreme Court on Thursday.
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Rachael Elizabeth Boyd, 29, had pleaded not guilty to murder in court this week after she was accused of stabbing her former boyfriend, Trent John Panizza, 29, at their Australind home on January 28.
The Panizza family hugged and consoled each other when the verdict was delivered in court.
The court was told that Mr Panizza was killed during an argument between the on-again, off-again couple.
Boyd had told detectives she had held up a 15-centimetre knife to defend herself and Mr Panizza had stepped into it.
Defence lawyer Linda Black told the court that Mr Panizza was heavily intoxicated and it was confirmed he had a blood alcohol reading of 0.134.
Prosecutor Robert Wilson’s closing argument yesterday said Boyd was angry at the time of the incident, she had picked up the knife and had stabbed Mr Panizza.
The trial was expected to take five days but finished on Thursday after the court reached the verdict of manslaughter.
