A murderer whose frenzied stabbing of a drug dealer was captured on a home security system now faces a mandatory sentence of life behind bars.
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Damian Marko Markovski was found guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday of murdering Robert Charles Frescon during a botched robbery at his Kelvin Grove home.
Co-accused Thomas Appleby was found not guilty of murder, but the jury was unable to reach a majority verdict on the alternate charge of manslaughter and was discharged.
He was remanded in custody pending a review of his case.
A third man, Nicholas James Torralba, was given a directed verdict of acquittal.
Graphic footage of the moment Markovski plunged the weapon into Mr Frescon's neck was shown to the jury on the opening day of the week-long trial.
The trio had taken MDMA before the botched robbery, going to Mr Frescon's home to score drugs "on tick" or take his stash by force in January 2019.
The attackers had no way of knowing that CCTV system in the victim's living room would capture every second of the confrontation.
At 1.37am, the footage shows Mr Frescon home alone, sitting on the couch before he walks to the front entry to let Appleby into the unit.
"You see another man, that's Appleby, enter the unit. You see them speak and converse before he goes back outside, probably for a cigarette, then return," crown prosecutor Mark Whitbred told the jury.
Once inside, the pair argue as Mr Frescon appears to refuse to give the product to an agitated Appleby.
Vision shows Mr Frescon making a crucial mistake, turning his back to walk towards the front door.
Appleby grabs two large knives from a display unit shelf before a violent confrontation erupts.
The victim tried to fight off his former friend, even hurling furniture at Appleby as he tried to escape.
The violence continues to escalate before Markovski - armed with a knife he brought with him and his face concealed by a black and white mask - storms the unit.
During a flurry of blows, Markovski stabbed Mr Frescon in the neck.
Fatally wounded, Mr Frescon clutches a hand to his neck.
With blood gushing down his arm, Mr Frescon suddenly collapsed. Minutes later he was dead and his attackers fled empty-handed.
Mr Frescon's body was discovered the next day by his sister.
The drugs the accused were trying to take were found in his pocket, covered in blood.
Markovski has been convicted but is yet to be formally sentenced.
Australian Associated Press
