Timothy Loosemore, 62, is scheduled to be sentenced for the manslaughter of his Airbnb host, Maree Vermont, after a jury was unable to conclude she had been murdered due to the extent of her body's incineration in a fire that destroyed her home.
Loosemore had been staying as a guest in Ms. Vermont's Goldie, Victoria, home, located north of Melbourne. Prosecutors contend that Loosemore became enraged and assaulted Ms. Vermont after his requests for a more intimate relationship were repeatedly rejected following a "brief sexual dalliance." He is accused of killing Ms. Vermont and then setting fire to her house, which she had spent three decades building, to cover up the crime.
During a pre-sentence hearing, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Andrew Tinney remarked on Loosemore's apparent lack of concern in the hours following Ms. Vermont's death. "His only concern was for himself and his bicycle and his other possessions," Justice Tinney stated, describing the focus as "unnerving" given the circumstances. Loosemore's initial questions to police after the fire concerned the well-being of Ms. Vermont's dog, Maxie, before he inquired about Ms. Vermont herself.
Evidence presented in court included DNA traces of Ms. Vermont's blood found on Loosemore's clothing. Forensic analysis of the fire scene revealed the presence of fuel canisters, suspected to have been used to start the blaze, and petrol components on a mat and blanket. Moderately evaporated petrol was also detected on Loosemore's clothing and shoes. Despite five accessible exits, Ms. Vermont did not escape the house, and her body was discovered face down in the living room.
Two separate juries were unable to reach a murder verdict. The first jury was discharged due to a "workload issue" at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, which prevented crucial DNA blood evidence from being shown. The second jury heard testimony detailing Loosemore's initial accounts of the events, which varied but generally described him leaving the house and returning to find it ablaze, or having a brief argument before going for firewood. He later claimed to have suffered near-total amnesia when questioned by homicide detectives and forensic doctors.
Loosemore, originally from Somerset in the United Kingdom, had a background in civil construction. He had been married twice and has three children living in the UK. He and his family were Australian citizens between approximately 2004 and 2007. Since about 2004, he had not been in full-time employment, living off investments. He returned to Australia in September 2022 for a cycling trip, during which he stayed at properties, including Ms. Vermont's, exchanging work for accommodation and food.
Those who knew Loosemore prior to the incident described him as polite, calm, and helpful. He had no prior criminal history. Ms. Vermont's family attended court for the pre-sentence hearing, with her sons speaking to reporters outside court about the impact of their mother's death and the sense of closure their voices being heard in court provided. Ms. Vermont was described by her sons as a peaceful, loving, and caring person.