On Monday the jury in the Michael McGrath murder trial heard the final interview David Benbow gave police not long after McGrath went missing.
This interview was about Benbow's gun, which also went missing, and hasn't been seen since.
Today former prison guard David Benbow arrived at court for week six of the murder trial.
The jury heard the third and final interview Benbow gave to police, with a freshly shaved head. This was two weeks after the Crown says Benbow murdered McGrath.
The police called Benbow in after searching his house. They'd discovered his gun was missing, now crucial evidence for the Crown.
Benbow owned a .22 black firearm. He says he bought it to deal with feral cats on the property.
He told police it should have been padlocked in his garage roof at his Candies Road house, but it wasn't there and hasn't been seen since. Neither has his ammunition, which was stored separately.
"You have certain responsibilities as a firearms holder, that you're supposed to know where your firearms are, and at this stage you don't know where it is," Detective Sergeant Aaron Paulsen told Benbow.
"I dunno," Benbow replied.
Benbow told police his ex-partner Joanna Green knew where the firearm was kept, and he also mentioned McGrath.
"Mike's had a key to the house and the sleepouts cos when he was building the deck he needed two cords," he said.
The defence questioned the detective and offered a theory on what could have happened.
"Would you, from just your general knowledge as a police officer, that there's a ready, illegal market for stolen firearms?" he was asked.
"Yes there is," Det Sgt Paulsen replied.
The defence is expected to open its case on Tuesday. It is likely the jury will go out next week, when they will decide whether or not Benbow murdered his childhood friend.
