An Australian man has pleaded not guilty after being charged with the murder of a 26-year-old tourist from New Zealand, who plunged 14 floors to her death while allegedly attempting to escape him during a Tinder date.
30-year-old Gable Tostee is reported to have become “angry” after his date, Warriena Wright, “threw ornamental rocks at him and hit him with a telescope” during an argument, prompting Tostee to allegedly choke Wright and lock her out on his balcony.
During an audio recording that was made on Tostee’s mobile phone, he could be heard saying, “You’re lucky I haven’t chucked you off my balcony,” before threatening, “If you try to pull anything, I’ll knock you out.”
A neighbor, who is alleged to have heard the incident take place in August 2014, also claims that Wright started to repeatedly say, “No,” before begging, “Let me go home,” before her fatal fall.
Wright’s mother, Merzabeth Tagpuno, appeared in court during the latest trial date, but refused to listen to the audio recording that was made just before her daughter’s death.
Tostee’s barrister, Saul Holt QC, claimed that both a murder and a manslaughter charge “didn’t make sense” before claiming that both Tostee and Wright were “obviously affected by alcohol.”
Numerous photographs were taken after the alleged crime showing Tostee’s apartment in disarray, with items scattered on the floor.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington or like his page at Facebook.