A mental health nurse has appeared in court for the first time over the alleged murder of her husband, as horrific new details about the crime scene emerged.
Caroll Hopkinson, 58, has been charged with the death of Simon “Hoppo” Hopkinson, 60, after his body was discovered at the couple’s home in Taperoo, northwest of Adelaide, on Sunday morning.
Ms Hopkinson, a mental health nurse with more than 20 years’ experience, was allegedly the one who called police to the home on Sunday.
Shocked neighbours claimed to have seen Ms Hopkinson sitting at the front of the house and looking “nonchalant” before… He was arrested and escorted out of the premises by police.
Ms Hopkinson appeared in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday still dressed in the pink pyjamas and dressing gown she was arrested in, and with bandages wrapped around her hands.
She remained silent in the dock as her defence lawyer told the court there would be no application for bail.
Police prosecutors told the court they require at least 20 weeks to examine the evidence, including analysis of the alleged crime scene, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.
“We needed about four months and four weeks just to get some blood spatter analysis,” the prosecutor said.
Caroll Hopkinson, 58 (right), appeared in court for the alleged murder of her husband, Simon Hopkinson, 60 (left).
Caroll Hopkinson, 58, is pictured being led away by police after her husband’s body was discovered at the couple’s home on Sunday morning.
The cause of Mr Hopkinson’s death has not been disclosed.
Ms Hopkinson was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again in November unless a bail hearing is held before then.
Both are known to have been psychiatric nurses.
Ms Hopkinson’s LinkedIn profile reveals that as well as being a registered nurse working in mental health, she operated a small pet boarding facility called Cat Catraz, “The Ultimate in Small Pet Boarding”.
Ms Hopkinson’s lawyer declined to comment on the case outside court.
The couple’s home remained a crime scene Monday.
Neighbours were horrified to hear about the alleged incident which occurred on a normally quiet suburban street.
Caroll Hopkinson (pictured) was remanded in custody and will appear in court again in November.
One woman said that although she didn’t know the couple very well, “they seem lovely.”
Other neighbors described them as “a happy couple” and “beautiful people.”
Kyla Vermeulen, a resident of the street for 14 years, said she was “quite shocked” to hear of the death, adding: “It’s quite sad.”
He added that “mainly elderly people and families” lived in the area.
Another local resident, Matt Carr, told the ABC that he heard sirens when he woke up and “there was a little bit of activity out front.”
“You don’t expect to wake up to that in your front yard on a Sunday morning,” he said.
Police urge anyone with information to contact Crime prevention agents.
