7 August 2022

Dale Vella to face murder trial in 2023 for fatal Murrumbateman shooting

| Albert McKnight
Woman with blonde hair

Dale Lee Vella, 53, has been accused of murdering Mark Anthony Vella. Photo: Facebook.

A woman accused of shooting a man to death in Murrumbateman last year will face trial in 2023.

Dale Lee Vella was arrested after the fatal shooting of 52-year-old Mark Anthony Vella on 9 August 2021.

NSW Police originally said emergency services were called to a home on Murrumbateman Road at about 10:00 pm after receiving reports a man had been shot. They found Mr Vella there with a fatal gunshot wound.

Ms Vella was arrested at the scene and taken to Yass Police Station.

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The 53-year-old had her first appearance in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday (5 August), where Justice Helen Wilson arraigned her on a charge accusing her of murdering Mr Vella and asked how she pleaded.

“Not guilty, your honour,” Ms Vella said over audio-visual link from the Dillwynia Correction Centre.

Barrister Greg Hoare, representing Ms Vella, said there was no prospect of a judge-alone trial.

Justice Wilson listed her jury trial to start on 3 April 2023 in Sydney. It is estimated to run for three weeks.

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