In a significant development to a tragic domestic violence case, Jessie James Tumaliuan, a 42-year-old Melbourne father, has formally entered a guilty plea for the murder of his wife, Czarina Gatbonton Tumaliuan. The admission occurred during a Supreme Court of Victoria hearing on Wednesday, just weeks before his trial was scheduled to commence on February 3.
The horrific incident unfolded on the morning of March 27 last year, when emergency services discovered the body of the 42-year-old mother of four in the backyard of a residential property on Retford Close in Werribee. The victim, Czarina, was found with multiple fatal stab wounds. Tumaliuan was apprehended by Victoria Police at the scene shortly after the discovery.
Legal proceedings saw a pivotal shift earlier this month when Tumaliuan sought a sentence indication from Justice Amanda Fox on January 16. Following this, his legal counsel informed the court that he had accepted the indication and intended to change his plea to guilty. The formal arraignment was subsequently delayed until an accredited Filipino interpreter could be present to assist, a measure Justice Fox deemed essential given the gravity of the charge, despite Tumaliuan’s demonstrated ability to communicate in English.
With his guilty plea now officially recorded, Tumaliuan has been remanded in custody. The court has scheduled a pre-sentence hearing for March 13, during which a formal psychological assessment of the defendant will be presented to aid in determining his final sentence.