Grieving Son Recounts Mother's Fatal Obsession With Airbnb Guest
A man shares the harrowing details of how a lodger became fixated on his mother, leading to her murder and the destruction of her home.
A grieving son has detailed the tragic events leading to his mother's death, describing how a seemingly kind Airbnb guest developed a dangerous obsession, culminating in her murder and the subsequent arson of her home.
Maree Vermont, 60, was killed by Timothy Loosemore, 62, after he became fixated on her and she rejected his advances. The crime scene was so severely damaged by fire that forensic experts could not definitively determine the exact cause of death. Her son, Darcy Vermont, shared his account on The Trial Australia podcast.
Vermont, a surveyor, had spent three decades transforming a remote Victorian property into a cherished home. Darcy described his upbringing as idyllic, with his mother fostering a close family life on their country property. She was recognized as a skilled draftswoman and potentially the first female surveyor in Victoria, overcoming workplace skepticism throughout her career.
After her separation from Darcy's father, Maree continued to develop the property while facing financial challenges. To help manage expenses, she began offering a room through Airbnb. Loosemore, from the UK, was among her early guests, initially staying for a short period before returning and offering to work in exchange for accommodation.
Darcy initially saw no cause for concern, as the property had a history of hosting helpers. However, he observed that Loosemore and his mother had become closer than a casual arrangement. Maree had indicated to her son that their relationship was casual, and she valued her independence after a difficult marriage. Despite this, Darcy noted Loosemore's insecurity and sensitivity to rejection.
The situation escalated when Maree Vermont indicated she no longer needed Loosemore's help and encouraged him to leave. Darcy returned to find Loosemore still present, which he found unsettling. He urged Loosemore to continue his planned cycling trip, but Loosemore persisted, claiming he needed nothing intimate, a statement Darcy later understood to be untrue.
By late July and early August 2023, Maree was finding it difficult to reject Loosemore, feeling a sense of guilt about pushing him away. Darcy admitted he could never have anticipated the violence that followed, reflecting on how insecurity can lead seemingly harmless individuals to act violently.
Loosemore was convicted of manslaughter, a verdict Darcy finds difficult to reconcile with the events. A jury found that Loosemore fatally assaulted Maree on August 5, 2023, before setting fire to the house. The severity of the fire prevented a conclusive determination of the manner of death, complicating the legal proceedings.
The first trial for Loosemore resulted in a hung jury, with a second trial in June clearing him of murder but convicting him of manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act. The judge described the killing as a response to rejection fueled by resentment and anger.
Darcy expressed distress over the legal outcome, feeling that the manslaughter verdict did not fully encompass the intent he believes was present, nor the deliberate destruction of his mother's home. He also noted that their case received less public attention due to the concurrent high-profile trial of another Victorian resident, which he felt diminished the focus and resources dedicated to his mother's case.
During the pre-sentence hearing, Darcy recounted his mother's wish not to be cremated, adding to his distress over her death in the fire. The judge sentenced Loosemore to 17 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 13 years. Darcy stated that while the sentence does not equate to the loss of his mother, it represents a measure of closure. Loosemore has reportedly shown no remorse and maintained he remembered nothing of the events, a claim dismissed by the judge.
