Man convicted of murdering 9-year-old NSW schoolgirl

In a harrowing case that gripped Australia Justin Stein has been found guilty of murdering 9-year-old Charlise Mutten and disposing of her body in a barrel by the Colo River, northwest of Sydney.

Despite his attempts to blame Charlise’s mother, Kallista Mutten, the jury rejected his claims, convicting him unanimously after a two-week deliberation.

The tragic incident occurred in January 2022 when Charlise, visiting her mother and Stein over Christmas, was reported missing. Her body, discovered four days later, bore gunshot wounds and traces of Seroquel, an antipsychotic drug prescribed to Stein. The court heard how Stein, panicking after the murder, attempted to mislead both Mutten and the police, concocting a series of lies to cover his tracks.

Throughout the trial, emotional testimonies from Kallista Mutten and inconsistent accounts from Stein painted a grim picture of the events leading to Charlise’s death.

Mutten, who was in a relationship with Stein, broke down as she denied his accusations and learned disturbing details about her daughter’s murder.

Stein’s deceit unravelled as location data placed him at the scene where Charlise’s body was dumped. Despite his tearful performance in court, claiming he heard gunshots while working in a shed, the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to his guilt.

Stein now awaits sentencing, with the court set to determine his fate in August.