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SA: Son walks free after murdering mother charge dropped


31 Mar 2009 4:01 PM

A son has been exonerated of murdering his mother despite a magistrate saying a jury could be extremely suspicious of his involvement in the alleged killing.

26 year old THOMAS HEYWARD walked free from an Adelaide court after Adelaide's Chief Magistrate ELIZABETH BOLTON ruled THOMAS HEYWARD had no case to answer.

Ms BOLTON said a jury could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of murder.

THOMAS' brother .. MATTHEW HEYWARD .. and their father .. NEIL HEYWARD .. have pleaded not guilty to murdering GLENYS HEYWARD in Mt Gambier in South Australia's south-east in 2007.

A co-accused .. JEREMY MINTER .. also pleaded not guilty to the murder.

A previous court hearing was told Mrs HEYWARD was murdered after seeking a two million dollar settlement from her estranged husband .. a claim which would have forced the sale of the family dairy farm.

NEIL HEYWARD .. MATTHEW HEYWARD and MINTER have been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court on April 27.