FEELING sorry for a former workmate living in a shipping container in the bush, Darren Greenfield invited the man to move into his home.
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The act of charity cost 44-year-old cost Mr Greenfield his life in a most brutal way .
Festering resentment within boarder Robert James Pluis after Mr Greenfield asked him to move out of his Wyalong home after about three months because his father was coming to stay exploded in Pluis bashing Mr Greenfield to death with his bare hands, and possibly his feet.
A postmortem examination revealed Mr Greenfield suffered nine broken ribs, a lacerated liver and spleen.
Pluis, who pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Greenfield on or about January 21, 2013, was sentenced on Friday to a minimum 14 years and seven months jail for the vicious killing by Justice Peter Johnson of the NSW Supreme Court in Griffith.
Members of Mr Greenfield’s family, including sister Natalie and 19-year-old son Dylan, were in court for Pluis’s sentencing.
Asked if she was satisfied with the sentence, Miss Greenfield told The Daily Advertiser: “My personal opinion is if you take a life you should be given life.”
Mr Greenfield lived in the West Wyalong area all his life and worked with Graincorp as a pest controller for more than 20 years.
Justice Johnson said Mr Greenfield was regarded as a reliable worker and a kind person who was willing to lend a helping hand to others in need.
“Everyone in West Wyalong knew Darren as a gentle and kind man, and his best friend was his son, Dylan,” Miss Greenfield said.
“It’s been a long two years, and now my brother can rest in peace.”
Pluis, who had previous convictions for violence, including armed robbery and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, had a highly disturbed upbringing, epilepsy and anger problems, Justice Johnson said.
“I am satisfied that the physical attack upon the victim arose in a relatively spontaneous context, likely in circumstances where both men had consumed substantial amounts of alcohol,” Justice Johnson said.
“Viewed in this way, the attack was not planned or premeditated, but involved a significant loss of control by the offender in which he launched a severe attack upon the victim.”
He said that having attacked Mr Greenfield with considerable force, Pluis took no steps to assist him.
Mr Greenfield was last seen alive about 8pm on January 20 by a woman who saw him firstly lying on his stomach on the footpath in front of his house, then trying unsuccessfully four or five times to get up on his hands and knees and then Pluis coming out of house, picking up Mr Greenfield and helping him into the house.
Mr Greenfield did not turn up for work the next two days.
On January 22, Pluis answered a call on Mr Greenfield’s mobile telephone from a worried workmate and said “Jeez, he don’t look good” before Pluis rang triple-0 and told the operator he could tell Mr Greenfield was dead.
Police initially did not consider Pluis a suspect, but soon changed their opinion.
Pluis got into a drinking session with another former workmate on January 25 and when asked about Mr Greenfield’s death said: “I can’t remember if I killed Darren or if I didn’t kill Darren. I just can’t remember.”
Three days later, Pluis started crying while talking with another man.“I think I murdered my best friend,” he blurted out.
“I had an argument with my mate and punched him in the nose and he fell backwards hitting his head on the gutter. I grabbed his ankles and dragged him inside and left him there.”
Pluis was arrested on February 1, the day of Mr Greenfield’s funeral.
He will be eligible for parole on September 1, 2027.