A murder trial neared its end yesterday after more than two weeks of evidence as counsel for either side delivered their closing statements.

Carrington Mahoney, for the Crown, told the jury that the circumstantial evidence combined to show that Davin Dill, 27, stabbed Joshua Rowse to death behind the Rubis Warwick gas station on June 14, 2020.

However, Charles Richardson, for the defence, countered that the prosecution’s argument stood upon “an unreliable narrator and creative storytelling”.

Mr Dill has denied the murder of 22-year-old Mr Rowse and having a bladed article, specifically a knife, while in a public place.

Mr Mahoney called the murder a “gang-on-gang attack” during a time of “violent rivalry” between groups known as the Ord Road Crew and Jones Village Crew.

He said the two men had been “associates” of the rival gangs, but reminded the jury that this did not mean they were members.

Mr Mahoney showed the jury CCTV footage of Mr Dill entering the store a day before the murder, in which he could be seen with his left arm in a sling after being treated for a serious traffic collision.

Jurors then viewed footage of the station moments before the attack, when two men could be seen jumping from a black Hyundai car, one from the passenger seat and one from the back seat on the driver’s side, and rushing towards Mr Rowse as he waited outside.

He highlighted the man who exited from the rear of the car and closed the door using his right hand — something he said would have been awkward for someone with a free left hand.

He added: “Is it a coincidence that the person had to use their right hand, or did they not want to irritate their stitches?”

Mr Mahoney reminded the jury of a witness close to the deceased who had identified the suspect as Mr Dill based on his height, build and skin tone.

He recognised criticisms levelled at the quality of footage, but told the jury: “You’ve seen the clips and you know where they are. You make the choice whether it is too blurry to make out.”

Mr Mahoney also reminded jurors that police later chased down a car matching the description of the one involved in the murder, which the police witness said had Mr Dill on board. The pursuit was said to have ended with the officer losing him in the darkness.

He said: “Each bit of evidence may be nothing, but when you put it together, you can see part of the whole puzzle.”

Mr Richardson pointed out that the murder had happened only days after his client was released from hospital.

He said that, because Mr Dill had a tube removed from his chest, he risked causing himself pain or tearing his stitches if he overly exerted himself.

Mr Richardson added: “You want to believe that the man who ran out of that car like Usain Bolt was the same man who had chest tubes removed 72 hours before?”

Mr Richardson added that his client should not be associated with gang activity simply because he knew people who might have been involved with gangs.

He said he recognised the sensitivity of gang violence and how it cost a young man his life in a “tragic, avoidable and frankly all-too-common situation”.

However, he called on the jury to judge his client only by the evidence provided.

Mr Richardson added: “Mr Rowse didn’t deserve to die like that — nobody does.

“But Mr Dill also doesn’t deserve to have his life wasted for something he said he didn’t do. No one deserves that, either.”

The trial continues.

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