A Perth father has walked free from the WA Supreme Court after being cleared of any wrongdoing in the fatal stabbing of a DJ.
Victor Amaya, 29, had been on trial in the Supreme Court accused of murdering 41-year-old Jaime Fernandez, also known as DJ Suave, whose body was found under a running shower in his Tuart Hill flat in July 2016.
His body was not discovered until four days later when another resident of the flats reported to police that he could hear water running continuously.
Mr Fernandez suffered eight stab wounds as well as injuries to his hand which prosecutors alleged were consistent with being defensive wounds.
Prosecutors had argued given the number and nature of the stab wounds "there can be no doubt" Mr Amaya had intended to kill Mr Fernandez.
However, Mr Amaya maintained he acted in self-defence, giving tearful testimony about believing he was going to be killed when the two ended up in a struggle on the bathroom floor and Mr Fernandez produced a knife.
He said the struggle happened after Mr Fernandez confronted him in an agitated manner and accused him of giving out his address to people and stealing his drug customers.
Mr Amaya had testified Mr Fernandez — who he met through the nightclub scene — had earlier told him he had to sell cocaine to make up for losing an envelope he had been given, that contained the drug, and was "worth a lot of money".
Mr Amaya said he had gone to see Mr Fernandez after dropping off his son for a tutoring session, and after the stabbing had returned to pick him up, disposing of the knife and some of his clothing on the way.
The jury deliberated for about three-and-a-half hours before finding Mr Amaya not guilty of murder, and not guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter.
He was then told he was free to leave, after spending more than two years in custody awaiting trial.
His lawyer Sutherlan Scudds said the first thing his client was going to do was see his young son.
Mr Sutherland said Mr Amaya was relieved, but there were no winners in the case and he always maintained his innocence.
