A 33-year-old Indigenous woman charged with murdering her long-term partner in a regional Victorian town will learn Thursday whether she will be granted bail ahead of her scheduled 2025 trial, with prosecutors and defense clashing over the strength of the case against her and her suitability for release.
Megan Solomon is accused of fatally stabbing 43-year-old Leon Strickland in the chest on the evening of December 11 this year at their home in Orbost, a small rural community located 375 kilometers east of Melbourne. Prosecutors allege the killing was a deliberate “heat of the moment” attack, where Solomon drove a small knife 5 centimeters deep into Strickland’s heart.
The Victorian Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that hundreds of hours of audio recordings stored on Solomon’s mobile phone document the pair’s “extremely toxic” on-again, off-again relationship, documenting abusive language and reciprocal violence allegations from both sides. Homicide squad Detective Senior Constable Cassandra Syddall told the court that recordings capture insults and hostile language from both Solomon and Strickland. The files include allegations of assault from both directions: Solomon claims Strickland abused her, while the court has been told recordings also capture Solomon making violent threats against Strickland, including statements that she wished someone would assault him and that he should kill himself.
Text messages exchanged between the couple further corroborate prior violence, Syddall told the court. Messages from Strickland appear to confirm he physically assaulted Solomon in two separate incidents, one in 2013 and another earlier this year, claims that are backed by existing medical records. While witnesses close to the couple told investigators they never heard Strickland accuse Solomon of physical violence, he did tell multiple people he feared her, Syddall added.
Solomon’s defense team has argued for her release on bail, noting she has no prior criminal convictions, secured stable accommodation and employment, and has robust cultural and community support in place should she be released. Defense lawyer Angie Wong told the court the case against Solomon includes triable legal issues, and the grounds for release far outweigh the justification for keeping her in pre-trial custody.
Mark Rose, a respected Aboriginal Elder and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Deakin University, gave evidence on Solomon’s behalf, testifying to her strong reputation in Victoria’s Aboriginal education sector. Rose told the court he has worked with Solomon through her role as a facilitator for the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association (VAEA), an organization that advocates for Aboriginal communities and students across the state’s education system. Rose described Solomon’s reputation within VAEA as rock solid and highly regarded, confirming the organization has held open a flexible administrative role for her if she is granted bail, providing her with meaningful, paid work while she awaits trial.
Prosecutors, led by senior counsel David Glynn, have opposed the bail application, arguing the prosecution’s case against Solomon is strong, and any potential self-defense claim would face significant legal hurdles. Justice Amanda Fox, who is overseeing the bail application, will announce her formal decision on Thursday.