A robber accused of brutally murdering a Canberra grandmother allegedly drank from a milk jug during the violent home invasion.
More than 20 years later, DNA evidence from the milk jug is said to have led to a breakthrough in the cold case.
Joseph Vekony, and Steve Fabriczy, both 68, are accused of killing Irma Palasics in 1999.
The hunt for the two men who broke into the Palasicses' home almost 24 years ago, bashing Mrs Palasics and her husband, Gregor, has been one of Canberra's longest-running police investigations.
Fabriczy and Vekony were both arrested and extradited from Melbourne late last year.
The elderly couple, both 73, were bound and are said to have been viciously beaten as the men ransacked their McKellar home, stealing $30,000 worth of cash and jewellery.
Mrs Palasics did not survive her injuries and died at the scene.
Fabriczy has pleaded not guilty to murder, armed robbery, two counts of aggravated burglary, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and unlawfully confining a person.
While Vekony has pleaded not guilty to murder, he is yet to enter pleas to armed robbery, unlawfully confining a person, aggravated burglary with intent to steal, aggravated burglary with intent to assault, burglary, and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
In the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, Fabriczy was committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court.
Vekony was adjourned to face the Magistrates Court again next month.
'Where is the money?'
A police document tendered to the court on Monday reveals the allegations against Fabriczy, who denies the charges against him.
The document states that at about 9.30pm on November 6, 1999, Mr and Mrs Palasics were watching television in the loungeroom of their home.
Mrs Palasics was in her pajamas and had showered earlier that evening. She had left the bathroom window ajar to allow steam to escape.
Fabriczy, and another man later alleged to be Vekony, are said to have disabled an outside security light before climbing through said window.
When Mr Palasics got up from his chair to shower, he came across the balaclava-clad robbers.
One of the robbers allegedly struck Mr Palasics four to five times to his face and head with a "cylindrical object".
When Mr Palasics fell to the floor, the robber is said to have sat on his chest and pinned his hands.
"Don't kill me. Don't kill me," Mr Palasics said.
The robber allegedly responded: "Where is the money?"
When Mr Palasics said he didn't have any money, the other man allegedly stated: "Alright, you have to tell me. You've got the right way and the hard way. You can tell us."
"Due to the speed with which this occurred and the violence of the assault, Mr Palasics was unable to state with certainty what occurred with his wife," the document states.
However, a subsequent investigation found she was violently assaulted while sitting on a lounge chair.
Police claim the chair was found tipped on its side, with Mrs Palasics' false teeth and drops of blood located on the floor nearby.
Mr Palasics could hear his wife yelling and screaming but could not make out what she was saying.
The robber is said to have pulled a telephone out of its wall socket, pulled the cable from the device, and used it to bind Mr Palasics' wrists together.
The masked man then placed duct tape over Mr Palasics' mouth and left him lying on his back.
The robbers then allegedly ransacked the house looking for valuables.
Mr Palasic claimed there was blood in his eyes and he believes he lost consciousness for a time.
He allegedly saw one of the robbers open the fridge in the kitchen and drink something, pushing his mask back slightly to do so.
After about an hour Mr Palasics could not hear any sounds and believed the robbers had left the home, the document states.
Mr Palasics managed to work his hands free from the bindings and crawled into the kitchen, where he cut the ties binding his ankles.
It is said that he then went to find his wife and found her dead, lying face down in the hallway.
After reconnecting the phone, Mr Palasics tried to call his daughters before ringing Triple Zero.
DNA breakthrough
Police claim that after the home invasion, two unidentified DNA profiles were found on a plastic water jug and a milk container in the refrigerator.
The sample from the milk jug was later linked to Fabriczy via a DNA database and confirmed in 2020.
According to the court document, police believe the home invasion was the third of "a deliberate and targeted" series of burglaries on the Palasicses' home dating back to 1997.
After his arrest and extradition to the ACT last year, Fabriczy allegedly denied being involved in the murder and claimed he could not remember what happened.
"I have nothing to do with assaulting or murder. No, No. I swear by god," Fabriczy allegedly said.
The 68-year-old allegedly stated he was "definitely ashamed, very ashamed, but I had nothing to do with her murder".
He is said to have told police he found out about the Palasics from "Joe", who said "something about this opportunity to make some money".
Febariczy allegedly stated he first met Joe in Austria and had not been in contact with him for 20 years.
