Hung jury in trial of man accused of Busselton 'love triangle' murder

A man accused of murdering a woman in WA's South West is set to face a retrial, after a jury could not reach a verdict.

James Anthony Sorgiovanni had been accused of stabbing Tara Morrison to death.

The jury had been deliberating since Monday.

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering a woman whose body was found stuffed in a wardrobe at a house in WA’s South West has been unable to reach a verdict.

WARNING: The following story contains details that may distress some readers.

James Anthony Sorgiovanni, 29, had been on trial for the murder of Tara Morrison, whose body was found in his Busselton house in 2024.

Ms Morrison had been visiting the house Mr Sorgiovanni shared with his girlfriend Hannah Louise Glover, who had also been charged with murder but pleaded guilty part-way through the trial.

Her guilty plea followed the evidence of an inmate who said Glover — who was formerly Ms Morrison's girlfriend — had confessed to the killing in prison.

The court was earlier told Ms Morrison was killed in a frenzied attack arising from a “love triangle”.

The jury started deliberating on Monday afternoon but after days of discussing the case, could not reach a unanimous verdict on the charge of murder and was discharged today.

Glover gave evidence describing how she stabbed her former girlfriend multiple times, in several locations inside the house she shared with Mr Sorgiovanni.

She told the jury Mr Sorgiovanni held Ms Morrison while Glover attacked her, but that he was the last one to stab the victim.

The court had heard Ms Morrison was planning to stay at the house, and methylamphetamine and GHB were used on the night of the murder.

Mr Sorgiovanni’s lawyer Lisa Boston told the jury he was under the influence of drugs at the time, woke to find Glover attacking Ms Morrison, and could not effectively prevent it.

Under cross-examination by Ms Boston, the prisoner who Glover confessed to said Glover made "no mention" of Mr Sorgiovanni initially.

She said Glover told her Mr Sorgiovanni had grabbed her in a "bear hug" and tried to drag her away.

During closing submissions to the jury, prosecutor Michael Cvetkoski showed a photo of Tara Morrison's left hand, with a serious injury which he described as a defensive wound.

Mr Cvetkoski put it to the jury that Ms Morrison's right hand was being restrained and could not be used as a "defensive mechanism".

"Likely, this was an ongoing struggle," Mr Cvetkoski told the jury.

The court was shown crime scene photos with blood on the floor and walls of the house.

It is not known when Glover will be sentenced.