Childhood Friend Gives Emotional Testimony in Decades-Old Murder Case
The final friend to see Sharon Fulton before her mysterious disappearance in 1986 has delivered explosive testimony at her husband's murder trial, revealing the devoted mother of four appeared "very frightened" during their last encounter.
A Fateful Tuesday Morning in Duncraig
March 18, 1986 began like any ordinary Tuesday morning in the Fulton household located in Duncraig. The three eldest children walked to school while Mrs Fulton, then 39 years old, dropped off her youngest son at his regular activity session in Wangara. She has never been seen since that day.
Narelle Harrison, who had been visited by Mrs Fulton just one day prior, told Raymond Reddington's District Court of Western Australia trial that her childhood friend deeply loved her family but had become increasingly emotional due to ongoing marriage problems.
"I noticed how distraught she was getting and I suggested she get advice ... legal advice," Ms Harrison testified during the proceedings.
The Final Visit and Troubling Observations
Ms Harrison described taking Mrs Fulton to meet with a Legal Aid solicitor in town, sitting in on the meeting herself. "It actually gave her confidence knowing there were people out there who would help her," she recalled.
Despite this initial step, Mrs Fulton did not pursue the matter further according to the witness. During what would become their final visit at the Fulton home in Hillarys, Ms Harrison observed her friend appeared "very emotional, very frightened, anxious, scared."
"I suggested she stay at our place that night with the children," Ms Harrison told the court, but Mrs Fulton departed around 4.30pm that afternoon.
Contradictory Accounts and Suspicious Behavior
Erin Lawrence, a staff member at the Wangara centre where the youngest Fulton child attended activities, testified that Mr Reddington collected their three-year-old son Heath the following morning at least an hour late.
"I just remember him apologising for being late and (he) explained that he had car troubles," she stated in court.
Ms Lawrence noted this marked her first encounter with the accused, who was then known as Maxwell Robert Fulton, and she agreed with the suggestion that his collection of the child had not been part of the original plan.
Colleague and Clergy Testimony Adds Complexity
Lloyd Davies, who worked above Mr Reddington at RAAF Pearce, testified that the accused either arrived late or went home during the morning of March 19, 1986, likely mentioning "something about a domestic issue."
Mr Davies recounted that Mr Reddington later informed him "his wife had left, he had four children to look after," while requesting greater flexibility with his work hours. The witness further stated that Mr Reddington subsequently provided an update, claiming "Police had located his wife in NSW."
Uniting Church Reverend Wes Hartley testified that Mr Reddington visited his Manning home on March 22, 1986, "concerned that his wife had gone missing" after sounding "quite distressed" during an earlier phone conversation.
"He said he had been looking for his wife and ... a railway was mentioned," Rev Hartley stated, describing Mr Reddington's explanation of his wife's departure as "quite vague."
Prosecution Alleges Inconsistent Stories
Prosecutor Ben Stanwix alleges that Mr Reddington, now 79 years old, provided inconsistent accounts regarding the last time he saw his wife. Initially, he claimed to have returned home from work to discover she had left, but later changed his story to say he dropped her off at a train station.
When pressed about whether Mr Reddington's upset demeanor appeared genuine during their interactions, Rev Hartley responded: "On the surface, yes. I believed so." However, under further questioning, the reverend added: "I was feeling a sense, 'is there more that I don't know about?'"
The trial continues as more witnesses are expected to provide testimony in this decades-old case that has captivated Western Australia.
