A Deakin resident heard footsteps, a voice, and a car outside her home about the time Colin Winchester was murdered, a court has heard.
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Evidence, given at an 1989 inquest by Gabby Feinauer, who lived around the corner from the police chief’s Lawley Street home, was read in the ACT Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Jurors heard Ms Feinauer had been sitting in her home office, at the front of her Norman Street home, waiting for her son to arrive home about 9.15pm on January 10, 1989.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Mr Winchester was shot dead as he sat in his car after he had pulled into his neighbour's driveway about the same time.
She said the night had been quiet but the silence had been broken by a person running into her driveway.
The person then paused for 10-30 seconds, spoke two-to-three short sentences, before running out again.
She then heard a car door close, a car start and then drive off at a normal pace.
The court heard Ms Feinauer did not look out of the window so did not see the person or the vehicle.
Ms Feinauer's evidence said police had arrived and blocked off her street within about five-to-seven minutes.
The court heard Ms Feinauer could not tell if the person speaking had been male or female, but confirmed they had been speaking in English.
She said the sentences had been spoken as thought it had one person speaking to a second person.
Ms Feinauer said the person had been wearing a heeled shoes, as she had been conscious of the sound of a heel on her concrete driveway.
David Harold Eastman, 72, is accused of Mr Winchester's murder and is on trial before Acting Justice Murray Kellam.
Mr Eastman has pleaded not guilty.
On Wednesday, the court also heard from Gavin Thomas, who was one of the first police officers to reach the scene.
Mr Thomas said he had checked the backyard of the home before helping put up tape to secure the crime scene.
He said he had gone no closer than five metres to the vehicle, in which Mr Winchester sat dead, so as not to contaminate the site.
Under cross-examination, Mr Thomas denied the crime scene had been one of chaos, instead describing the scene as on of "urgency".
The trial continues.
