A former US marine convicted of murdering his former boss had also plotted to kill his ex-wife, a court has heard.
Walter Ciaran Marsh slit the throat of his former boss, New Zealand nurse Michelle Beets, and stabbed her eight times outside her Sydney home on April 27 last year.
Marsh developed a deep hatred and resentment of Ms Beets, a popular and respected 57-year-old nursing unit manager, after she gave him bad references.
During sentencing submissions in the NSW Supreme Court today, Crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC said Marsh had also planned to murder his ex-wife before deciding to kill Ms Beets.
Mr Tedeschi said the plot indicated Marsh posed a future danger to those "with whom he's had a relationship".
"He failed to carry out the murder of his ex-wife," Mr Tedeschi told the court today.
"He then, and only then, decided to murder Michelle Beets."
Mr Tedeschi said the plot to kill his ex-wife was linked to "an overall problem with staying in Australia".
"It shows him .. dealing with the same problem that led to the death of Michelle Beets," he said.
The hearing is continuing.
NZN