Murder charges against a woman accused of killing her same-sex spouse before a destructive house fire have been dropped, though she will face other charges relating to the death.
Anastasia Marshall, 29, was previously charged with murdering her ex-wife in a horror house fire in Adelaide last October.
Krystal Marshall, 38, was found dead inside the Aldinga Beach home on October 20, 2023 after the fire was extinguished.
While she will not be put on trial, Anastasia Marshall will still face charges of destroying human remains to pervert the course of justice, arson of a building and three counts of assisting an offender, the Advertiser reported.
Adelaide Magistrates Court heard that Jonathan Paul Parker, 48, is charged with murder, destroying human remains to pervert the course of justice and arson of a building.
Parker was charged last October, but his name was suppressed by court order until April.
Anastasia Marshall was granted bail for home detention in May, but Parker remains in custody.
Prosecutors previously alleged Marshall and Parker conspired so that she could avoid any blame for the death.
The prosecution alleged she gave ‘multiple versions’ of the events leading up to Krystal’s death, and that she discussed finding the home addresses of witnesses.
Marshall’s lawyer Craig Caldicott told Judge Mary-Louise Hribal that she would be entering a not guilty plea to the charges she faces.
Stephen Ey, who is representing Parker, said he needed more time before his client could enter a plea as the case involved ‘substantial’ material.
The case is set to return to court in August.
Krystal Marshall had been living with her ex-wife, their two children and a friend.
Two dogs and a cat were rescued from the burning home by neighbours, who did not realise Krystal was also inside.
‘The kids were at school. I went to pick up my youngest from school and I saw smoke coming out of the house when I was walking up the street,’ Anastasia Marshall told reporters at the time.
‘We weren’t together for a couple of years but we never got divorced. We were together for 11 years.’