Cairns Killer Denied Earlier Parole Bid in Gruesome Homicide Case

An 83-year-old Cairns man, convicted of the premeditated murder of his wife and the subsequent dissolving of her body in acid, has had his latest attempt for an earlier parole date rejected by the Court of Appeal. Klaus Julius Andres will remain eligible to apply for parole in 2028, when he is 85 years old.

Details of a Heinous Crime

Andres was found guilty in December 2013 of murdering his 42-year-old wife, Li Ping Cao, in 2011. Following her death, he undertook the shocking act of disposing of her body by placing it in a wheelie bin and filling it with 20 litres of hydrochloric acid. This abhorrent method of disposal means the precise circumstances of Ms. Cao's death, a woman described by her sister and son as "warm" and "loving," may never be fully uncovered.

During his 2013 trial, Andres denied intentionally killing Ms. Cao. He claimed her death was an accident, occurring during an act of self-defence in October 2011 after she allegedly attacked him with a fork upon discovering his affair. He maintained he had accidentally knocked her unconscious. Despite his denial of intentional murder, he did plead guilty to interfering with her corpse.

However, a jury ultimately rejected Andres's version of events. Evidence presented during the trial included conflicting statements Andres gave to police regarding his wife's whereabouts, video footage showing him purchasing hydrochloric acid, and the chilling discovery of Ms. Cao's mobile phone inside an urn containing the ashes of his previous wife, Monica Andres. This urn was found in a room which had been meticulously transformed into a shrine, adorned with flowers and photographs of his former spouse.

Further testimony revealed a letter sent to Centrelink, requesting the transfer of Li Ping Cao's payments into Andres's bank account. The court also heard from Andres's 35-year-old mistress, with whom he had plans to marry. During sentencing, Justice Jim Henry underscored the premeditated nature of the murder, noting Andres's complete lack of remorse, which was further exemplified by his detached actions following the crime.

The Legal Battle Continues

Andres previously appealed his conviction, but this was dismissed in 2015. Last month, he launched a second legal bid, this time seeking to appeal his life sentence and its associated parole eligibility date. The 83-year-old applied for an extension of time to lodge this appeal, arguing that as he was "not a lawyer," it had taken him "many years to find out he could make an application," attributing his newfound understanding to assistance from a fellow prisoner.

A key point of Andres's argument was that 754 days he spent in pre-sentence custody should be re-evaluated, particularly since a number of other charges against him were dropped in 2016. He contended that if these days were factored in differently, his parole eligibility date would have been 2026, rather than the current 2028.

Court Rejects Appeal

However, the Court of Appeal has now published its judgement, unequivocally refusing Andres's request for an extension. The court, comprising Justice Debra Mullins AO, Chief Justice Helen Bowskill, and Justice Christopher Johnstone, stated that his proposed appeal had "no prospects of success."

The judgement affirmed that "The sentence imposed on 12 December 2013 was in accordance with the law." Consequently, the court found "no utility in granting an extension of time," as the proposed appeal could not possibly succeed. This decision ensures that Klaus Julius Andres will remain incarcerated until at least 2028 before he can apply for parole.