Australian woman's bench press death staged, police claim

Dragi Stojanovski attempts to shield himself from photographers outside court. Photo/News Ltd

A young Australian mother-to-be's choking murder was staged to make it look like a freak weightlifting accident, investigators believe.

State Coroner Sara Hinchey believes three-month pregnant Snezana Stojanovska was murdered at the home she shared with her husband, her brother-in-law and her mother-in-law in November 2010.

Ms Stojanovska, 26, was found dead allegedly with a weightlifting barbell across her neck in the garage of the home she shared with the trio on November 28, 2010. Hinchey yesterday told her husband Dragi Stojanovski, brother-in-law Vasko Stojanovski and mother-in-law Pisana Stojanovska the death was a homicide and urged the trio to seek legal representation, as is usual practice, before the matter returns to court next month.

"It is my strong suggestion that you attend on the next occasion accompanied by a lawyer," Hinchey said

Counsel assisting Barbara Myers told the court that Vasko Stojanovski phoned 000 at 11.14am to report his sister-in-law's death.

By the time ambulance officers arrived six minutes later, they found Ms Stojanovska lifeless.

She was dressed in pyjama pants and a dressing gown, laying on an ironing board propped up on some books. Rigor mortis had already set in.

The barbell was propped up nearby.

"Snezana's death was reported to be a tragic weightlifting accident," said counsel assisting the coroner, Barbara Myers.

The court heard Dragi Stojanovski told police his wife had told him the night before she would get up early to exercise.

He said he found his wife lying on the ironing board with a barbell across her neck.

But an autopsy raised doubts about whether the barbell could have caused the death.

The bruises on the skin of the neck and chin and to deep strap muscles "were not in accord with an uncomplicated entrapment by bar and weights", Myers said.

Investigators also believe a phone call made at 10.36am from Dragi's mobile to his wife's doctor is significant. She had a pregnancy test appointment on the day she was reported dead.

"Investigators believe that his call was made by Dragi in order to cancel the appointment... to avoid inquiries being made by the clinic about her failure to attend and to allow more time to conceal the crime," Myers said.

They also believe entries made in Ms Stojanovska's diary on November 16 and 18 "have different characteristics to other entries in the diary".

Investigators believe there is little chance Ms Stojanovska could have accidentally choked herself and think the scene was staged.

Harry Brennan, a co-ordinator at the Victorian Institute of Sport, reviewed crime scene photographs and provided a statement describing the weightlifting set up using an ironing board as "the strangest he has ever seen".

He also said the barbell did not have "collars' and the weights would have slid off when unbalanced. He said that he would expect anybody who was lifting weights to be dressed in sports gear.

Myers told the coroner DNA tests showed Dragi Stojanovski was the father of the baby his wife was carrying.

All three were arrested and interviewed by homicide squad detectives in April 2011, but released without charge.

Coroner Hinchey said she believed the death was a homicide and will hold a five day inquest in to the death in July.

Dragi and Vasko Stojanovski and their mother Pisana Stojanovska will be called to give evidence.

Lie detector expert Steven Van Aperen could also be called, the court heard.

The matter returns to court next month for a directions hearing.