A British man has been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of his Airbnb host, Maree Vermont, whose body was discovered charred beyond recognition in the ashes of her home in rural Victoria, Australia, in August 2023. Timothy Loosemore, 62, originally from Somerset, UK, avoided a murder conviction because the extensive damage to Ms. Vermont's remains made it impossible for forensic experts to definitively establish the cause of death, leaving a jury with reasonable doubt regarding Loosemore's intent.
Loosemore, who had been an intermittent guest at Ms. Vermont's home for approximately 30 years, was found guilty at his second trial. The first jury was unable to reach a verdict. Prosecutors alleged that Loosemore killed Ms. Vermont inside her home before setting the fire to conceal the crime. Evidence presented in court included Ms. Vermont's blood found on Loosemore's clothing and linear scratches on his face, neck, and lip, which the prosecution argued were indicative of her desperate struggle for survival.
Crown prosecutor Mark Gibson, KC, told the jury that Loosemore "snapped" after his desire for an ongoing intimate relationship with Ms. Vermont was repeatedly rejected. The pair had a brief sexual encounter early in Loosemore's stay in March 2023, but Ms. Vermont had made it clear she did not want a romantic relationship. She had expressed to friends and her son that Loosemore was pressuring her and was taking her rejections badly.
Forensic experts testified that Ms. Vermont's airways showed no signs of soot, and no carbon monoxide was detected in her blood, suggesting she was likely dead before the fire began. However, they could not exclude the possibility that she was alive when the fire started. The severity of the blaze was consistent with the use of flammable liquids, with petrol components detected on a mat and blanket inside the house, as well as on Loosemore's clothing and shoes.
Loosemore did not testify, but accounts from his interactions with neighbors, paramedics, police, and a doctor were presented. He arrived at a hospital after the fire with a blood alcohol content of 0.18 percent. He offered conflicting explanations for leaving the house before it caught fire, at times stating he was getting firewood, going for a walk, or checking on chickens. He claimed he turned around to find the house already ablaze and too hot to re-enter. Loosemore denied starting the fire or harming Ms. Vermont and could not explain the blood or scratches on his person.
The prosecution argued that Loosemore's narrative was a fabrication, fueled by intense, unrequited feelings for Ms. Vermont that had escalated into resentment and provided a motive for murder. Ms. Vermont's sons, Darcy, Harrison, and Lachlan, addressed the court during the pre-sentence hearing, describing the profound pain and distress caused by their mother's death and the prolonged legal process.
Loosemore had a background as a successful businessman who had once owned a construction company. He had returned to England with his family before deciding to cycle around Australia, the period during which he met Ms. Vermont. He is awaiting sentencing, the date for which has yet to be fixed.