Qld: Man doubled wife s insurance before her death, court told

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2001
Qld: Man doubled wife s insurance before her death, court told

By Suzanne Klotz

BRISBANE, April 27 AAP - A man doubled his wife's life insurance to more than $1.3
million the same year she died from carbon monoxide poisoning, a coronial inquest was
told today.

Elizabeth Tjaardina Garthe, 48, was found dead in the bath by her husband, Owen Garthe,
at their property near Dalby, west of Brisbane, on December 9, 1997.

She died from carbon monoxide toxicity, with her blood registering a carbon monoxide
level of 58 per cent.

Mr Garthe was charged with his wife's murder on the basis that he deliberately gassed
her to death.

He was due to face trial in the Supreme Court in Toowoomba but the prosecution case
collapsed when the defence successfully argued a natural therapy Mrs Garthe was undertaking
to relax her lungs, could have caused the carbon monoxide toxicity.

Mr Garthe told police that his wife was undertaking the therapy, in which she used
a face mask to inhale herbs in a tin can burnt over a flame, and that this cure would
always take place in the bath.

He only revealed the name of the natural therapist, Ian Kellerthrupp, who was responsible
for the treatment, and would not give any other details of his whereabouts.

During the first part of the inquest held in Dalby last November, Mr Garthe claimed
privilege in relation to information which would lead to the whereabouts of Mr Kellerthrupp.

Today, in Brisbane, Coroner Ian Rose ruled that Mr Garthe should be allowed to claim
privilege in relation to this issue as information surrounding the existence of the natural
therapist formed a very important platform for any future prosecution against Mr Garthe
for manslaughter.

Mr Rose said a police report presented to him made it clear that police had reasonable
suspicion that a criminal charge of manslaughter could be laid against Mr Garthe.

Mr Rose noted that there had been an extensive search throughout Australia and Australasia
for the mystery herbalist, but he has never been found.

Under cross-examination by barrister Ralph Devlin, for Mrs Garthe's life insurer, Suncorp,
Mr Garthe confirmed he had insurance policies totalling $1.375 million taken out on his
wife's life when she died.

In January and February of 1997 -- 10 months before she died -- Mr Garthe increased
his wife's life insurance by $700,000.

He told the inquest that this was to do with taking out a $160,000 loan for a business
deal which concerned Mr Kellerthrupp.

Mr Garthe said he had gone to the Maldives in connection with the deal which involved
him setting up a plant on his farm to process genetically-modified corn which would be
fed highly confidential additives to be broken down to by-products which would include
pharmaceuticals.

He said he had burnt the documents concerning this business deal the night before the
police had first come out to question him over his wife's death.

Mr Garthe told Mr Devlin he did this because they were highly confidential.

He conceded that none of the plant equipment had ever been purchased or set up on his
farm by the time his wife died, 10 months after the extra life insurance was taken out.

Mr Garthe is in the middle of civil proceedings against Suncorp over the life insurance policies.

The coronial inquest is continuing.

AAP smk/jhm/cd/sb

KEYWORD: GARTHE

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